


Formidable

by idleCursive



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Yakuza, Blood, Bratva, Canon with a twist, Each Chapter's an Episode, Hitman AU, Homophobic Language, Knives, M/M, Mafia AU, Panic Attacks, Shooting Guns, Sparring
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-30
Updated: 2017-03-24
Packaged: 2018-09-13 09:09:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 32,879
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9116737
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idleCursive/pseuds/idleCursive
Summary: “When there are mistakes there are screaming. Often blood as well more than wine.” She would reply in a cold tone before turning back to her smiling and pump self. It was like a light switch being flipped, but Yuuri understood the statement.“Don’t ask unless you want to be the one screaming” He thought. “Keep your nose clean and follow what we say or else it won’t be pretty.”





	1. Tu étais formidable, j’étais fort minable

Ever since Yuuri Katsuki could remember men and woman would come into the hot springs, once or twice a year depending. He would go to his room for the rest of the night, and his older sister Mari bringing him dinner. Whispers rose from the floorboards under his bed, along with the occasional scream if there was a “mistake”. It was a secret to him, the meetings, for ages till he was around the age of eight, when he found his love for ice skating, and for his idol of Victor Nikiforov, that he was told the truth of those nights. When he was told he would be the Heir of Hasetsu, a Yakuza member, a part of the most powerful mafia in Japan, and would learn what to do in case of an emergency. He simply nodded, knowing if there was a mistake there would be screaming. 

 

His family told him of how Yu-topia Akatsuki was set up to be a place of meetings, where the higher leaders of Yakuza and those who would be blackmailed, would come to their small and homely springs for a night. Then when morning came the Katsukis had more money, the Yakuza had more money, and the business that was blackmailed knew their place. Though when witnessing these meetings it was all polite, he never understood how this was blackmailing when it was formal and not threatening, like he had seen in the movies or read about in books. His mother explained it was all in embarrassment and harassment, where the tickets to get into Yu-topia Akatsuki were very expensive but only to the victim, that if they declined they would be harassed, then while at the Sokaiya the victim would be blackmailed, sometimes bribed but that was rare. Yuuri asked about the screaming, why did he hear screaming those nights. Something dark flickered in his mother’s soft and kind eyes, to where they hardened and did not seem like his mother but more like a demon. “When there are mistakes there are screaming. Often blood as well more than wine.” She would reply in a cold tone before turning back to her smiling and pump self. It was like a light switch being flipped, but Yuuri understood the statement. 

_ “Don’t ask unless you want to be the one screaming” _ He thought. “ _ Keep your nose clean and follow what we say or else it won’t be pretty.” _

After that Yuuri didn’t have any more questions. He didn’t ask about the drugs that would be passed under palms and thumbs, he didn’t ask about the beautiful women who would stay in some of the rooms at night when there were more men in the springs, he didn’t ask about why he needed to clean the curtains again, or why there was an ominous wet spot that was a color off of the red fabric. He kept his head down and followed what his parents and the others wished. 

  
  


As the years went by he no longer needed to ask, or ponder why certain things were, for his parents looked at him with pride and gave him a decision, to become the next Yakuza Heir for Hasetsu. He asked for some time to think of it to which they agreed, they understood what a choice this was to Yuuri, and they also understood if he did not take it. 

 

That year Yuuri got his first tattoo for Yakuza, being more prominent in the meetings and after the initiation of sake. He got his first tattoo, at the age of twenty. His family wished for him to get it earlier and illegally but he didn’t want suspicion to come his way and refused. He got it when he was studying abroad in Detroit, having sent pictures to his family, they gushed over it for hours, it was simple for he would let it heal then add more as he went back to Japan. For he still had his first Grand Prix Final to look forward to and he didn’t want to stop practicing due to the tattoo needing to heal. His closest friend and roommate Phichit had begged non stop after the appointment for that once it healed to post pictures of it on his instagram. 

 

It was something beautiful, it was done by an old Japanese parlor they had found weeks before, who knew what he wanted and showed him styles. It had a background of waves that encased his left shoulder blade, setting the scene for the main piece, a black and white dragon against the dark blues curled up his arm resting his head on his pec. It’s whiskers lazily hanging off his face down Yuuri’s collar bone, the dragon looking as if it was sleeping but had one eye open, always aware of those around him. To his family it would be pleasing seeing such strength in the symbol on the lookout for those who would do the gang wrong. On the inside of his forearm next to the curling tail of the black and white dragon was a bright orange and red koi fish looking to be following the dragon up his arm. The tattoo ended at his wrist where it could be hidden easily by his jacket, the soft waves acting like a bracelet there to have a finished look. The bright colors popped out on Yuuri’s pale skin giving it a beauty, that not many people could see with the tattoos from the gang, yet he knew one thing, no matter the answer he gave his parents, he wanted to be happy with the tattoo. He wanted to show the strength and hard work he would put into the Grand Prix Final, to show he wasn’t wasting time in Detroit, that he didn’t need the Yakuza to be something. 

  
  


It was an entire year until Yuuri was able to return home after the failure of the Grand Prix Finals. He was ashamed with his performance, anxiety still coursed through his veins just thinking of the incident of how the ice felt beneath him with each fall. There were times when he sat in a warm room and he could feel the chill of the brutal ice hitting his body. He sighed as he got his luggage from the carousel, he just hoped his family wouldn’t force him into the leadership after this. He went down the escalators bag in one hand as he pulled his surgical mask to his chin so he could breathe in the cold air, as he was lost in thought, what would he do now? He retired after his first year of skating on the same ice as Victor, he had nothing else but the leadership to do now. He had no choice other than to be the Boss of Hasetsu. 

 

His legs were on autopilot as he walked, not really paying any attention until his eye caught a familiar looking poster that he remembered a member of the gang made for him and his family. He looked up and panicked seeing himself on the poster around the entire train station. He was about to try and tear them all down and get rid of them completely when he hear a familiar woman’s voice call out his name in a sing song tone. Slowly turning in fear he saw no other than,  Minako  Okukawa, his former ballet teacher and owner of a bar front. She grinned holding a sign she had made for him the years before. 

 

“What are you sulking around for?” Her pretty face was pitched up in a smirk, knowing how to push all of the right buttons to get Yuuri panicked and startled, even after five long years.

 

“Minako.” He tried to act calm but couldn’t contain the surprise in his voice, he was about to speak again when she interrupted.

 

“Welcome back, after five years Yuuri Katsuki!” The other passengers and people around the station immediately fixed their gaze onto Yuuri knowing the last name from the sports news of his failure, and from Yu-topia Akatsuki. He could feel the stares of fear, pride, and something like astonishment. He knew not to be rude and ask why she was there, he didn’t need to see Hasetsu’s drug lord give him a knowing look, so he just stepped up to her with a small smile, trying not to look uncomfortable. He knew she had her sources in finding out when he would return when an unknown voice from his left startled him. Then a chorus of more voices surrounding them began to echo through the station.

 

“Isn’t that Yuuri?”

“Yeah that’s him.”

“Haven’t heard any news about him lately. What’s he been up to?”

“Remember he lost that big competition last year?”

 

There were also hushed whispers.

 

“Do you think he went rogue?”

“Maybe he found a girl from a gang?”

“Could have gone and made another branch for Yakuza for all we know.”

“Maybe he’s back for the throne?”

 

As he stood in front of her a man walked up to his left side, he turned in curiosity. He was not from the small town. 

 

“Let me shake your hand.” Yuuri panicked and quickly covered his mouth with his mask, pulling up a lame excuse for being in a hurry. He made the mistake of looking up at Minako who practically growled at him.

 

“You don’t lose anything from being polite, shake his hand.” She whispered a threatening look on her face. Before she used the one thing that would break a small piece of him, “Victor Nikiforov is polite to his fans and you should be to.” She demanded, making any arguments or excuses fall from him and give in. She pushed him around the entire station holding his wrist to shake the other fans and random people who even asked who he was. He just smiled politely and tried not to show how she was moments away from snapping his wrist in half. Once he politely greeted everyone in the station, and he meant everyone, Minako finally loosened her grip, then led him out towards the toward, claiming he was going to greet everyone in town as well, for his absence had been too much. Yuuri was exhausted, not being a real sociable person, it drained him so he tried to steer her away. 

 

“Minako, what about your ballet class?” She replied too fast with,

 

“We’re closed today. Besides we barely get any students these days.” That made him pause, knowing it wasn’t just about the actual ballet classes. “There are barely any kids skating nowadays. You should cheer things up around here, Yuuri.” 

 

_ There are barely any members here since you left, seeing you might have more people join. _ He could read that message loud and clear. Hasetsu’s power was dying away, it was an old town, and with an older presence, and last he heard the old head of Yakuza had switched to a different heir, but then again it could have been lies he had heard of when he was too busy with college in Detroit.

 

“Sorry Minako, but I’m tired.” She understood but it didn’t stop her with her last jab to try and get him to go with her.

 

“Everyone’s been dying to see you.”

 

They walked all the way to Yu-topia Akatsuki, which wasn’t too far from the train station but it was still a walk. As soon as they entered Yuuri offered a bland greeting at the front door, which was unusual to go through for family members and gang members. He was about to question Minako why they did so when she yelled through the lobby.

 

“Hiroko! I brought Yuuri home!” It sounded almost childish with joy, which made Yuuri relax, knowing that meant they were safe and the gang wasn’t visiting at the moment. He looked towards the main dining room where his mother was running out of with joy on her face. It brought a smile to him knowing she was well, after all running a crime ring was not easy. She thanked Minako as she nearly slipped into him in her excitement on welcoming him home. He was shocked there was no immediate disappointment or wanting to put him on the throne on the spot so he treaded carefully. 

 

“Thank you, I’m sorry it’s been five years. I..I didn’t even call to let you know about my scores.” He says mournfully. To which his mother just brushed off with a smile, telling him it was alright.

 

“I’m sorry I couldn’t make it to your graduation. Would you like a pork cutlet bowl?” She asks, Yuuri didn’t know what to say he was so stunned, he watched as Minako and his mother chattered and happily exchanged gossip, all he could hear was static, did he do that bad in the competitions that she wasn’t even going to push him for the Head? It was only when he heard his name that he snapped back to reality. Minako was saying something about the station and his gut? Oh, she thought he gained weight again. It was true he gained weight so easily but he had kept it down in case his mother, who was rather pump and where he got that trait from, would've scolded him for it. He felt her hand on the back of his jacket and froze in fear, knowing not to fight it as she stripped him out of his winter clothes till he was in just a long sleeved shirt. It was at that moment his father decided to put his two cents in. 

 

“Wow, I thought you’d look just like your mother by now.” He laughed. Mianko for once didn’t scream in horror or yell at anyone just stood in shock. 

 

“I thought you would gain it back in a day.” She says simply before catching the color on his skin at the bottom of his wrist. “Wait! We haven’t seen it in person!” She yelled excited stripping him of his shirt making Yuuri feel more exposed than anything not use to people stripping him. His parents immediately looked over the tattoo with impressed hums poking and prodding at certain parts. Minako grinning in pleasure at finally being able to see it in person. As soon as they had their fill of messing with Yuuri he took his luggage to his room and pulling his sweatshirt back on with a sigh. He still needed to pay his respects to Vicchan, his dog that had died during the time he was away at college.

 

As he sat on his knees lighting the incense he took a deep breath sending a gentle pray up to the heavens in hope that his late dog was doing well. _ I’m sorry I couldn’t see you one last time, Vicchan. _ He was about to get up and leave when his older sister Mari slid open the door.

 

“Yuuri, welcome back.” She says calmly with a small smile. Yuuri smiled back. 

 

“Mari, it’s been a while.” He said it in a way of apologising knowing she was filling in for him as the head of Hasetsu while he was gone, and might completely take it over if he isn’t forced into it.

 

“How long are you staying in Hasetsu? Will you help with the hot spring?” She asks as she pulled out a cigarette placing it in her mouth and lighting it. He knew what he meant behind those words though. 

 

_ Will you take the position? _

 

She paused to exhale some smoke, “If you wish to keep skating, I’ll support you, but…”

 

“I think...I need some more time to think it over.” She smiled at him respectfully, 

 

“Okay. Well, go soak in the hot spring and relax.” She says turning to leave before looking at him over her shoulder with a fond look, “I like the tattoo.” Before disappearing off into another quarter of the home.

 

He got up and went to head to the hot spring thinking it over. How this little town was just a tourist attraction. Nothing really special with history, just a facade with a ninja dojo that was fake up on the mountain. How the hot springs, and inns were the only thing keeping it alive. Yet most went under until the Yakuza took over most of the failed businesses, the tourism was still spotty but it kept people in town long enough to spend some money. His family’s spring the Yu-topia Akatsuki was the last one that was really making business and that was because of their position in the gang.

 

Once done he got out seeing in the lobby his father and a frequent member of the Yakuza fighting with Minako over the remote between watching soccer or ice skating. He was going to stay when three knocks were heard on the back door. Everyone turned to look knowing that was the sign. With a sigh Yuuri left not wanting to just be back and have to deal with Yakuza stuff right away. He changed into his jogging sweats and grabbed his back heading out the front door, where his mother was grabbing wine out of a stock van. She was about to stop him and ask for him to stay but noticed the look in his eyes and let him go. There would be other meetings.

 

He didn’t run, there was no reason to run, he wasn’t in a rush to where he was going, but he didn’t walk slowly either, just a light jog to carry him there peacefully. Pass the bridge and almost a mile away, not including the stairs, was his piece of mind, his own castle. The one place Yakuza wouldn’t touch because it was Switzerland. He finally got up the stairs and past the door with a deep breath he looked up to see a close friend with the same burgundy hair and light eyes. She hadn’t even noticed him yet, too busy with putting up skates. When she did she was going through the motions of someone showing up past closing.

 

“Our regular hours are over.” She called over her shoulder before looking at him properly.

 

“It’s been awhile Yuuko.” He says shyly, she was once his crush before he noticed he was out of his league and that he preferred males more than females.

 

“Yuuri? Oh come on!” She practically floated over to the front counter in excitement, “Call me Yu!” Yuuri mumbled out an apology before she spoke over him, “You came to skate, right? Go ahead.” She paused before continuing. “There’s a meeting going on right? You just want to skate alone for now right? I’ll protect you.” She winked smiling, though she was teasing for right now, he knew she would kill a man, she has before. 

 

Smiling back he nodded and went to get his skates on. As he laced them up he realized how Yuuko, or the Madonna of the Ice Castle in Hasetsu, had showed him how to enjoy ice skating and how he could do other things besides waiting out the screams in the basement. She also showed him of Victor Nikiforov when he was just starting his own career winning all gold in the Juniors Championship. He sighed and stood up once he was done lacing them up, he had to show her it.

 

He was already on the ice as she stood next to a small speaker sitting on a barrier, she held his glasses as he handed them to her. “Um..I wanted to show you to see this, so I’ve been practicing it since the competitions ended.” A small shimmer of chill went down his body at the memory of the ice. He looked sad for a moment before thoughtful the next, lifting his head to meet her eyes though he wasn’t sure if he was meeting them correctly, “Please watch.” He asked softly before moving to the center of the rink facing her.

 

He stood in the middle of the rink for a second taking a deep breath as he got into position. He could hear Yuuko realize what he was going to perform.

 

As the music started he lifted his head to the ceiling slowly almost solemnly, before starting with the melody his right wrist almost meeting his forehead in a soft move then his body language shifted to what the judges claimed was his skating persona. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other as he felt the ice below him greet him like an old friend allowing his actions to have a grace to them that normally would be shaken with nerves. The lyrics began as he prepped for the first quad, a quadruple Lutz, executed perfectly. As he went through the emotions and feelings of Victor Nikiforov’s free skate called, “Stay Close to Me”. He couldn’t help but feel an answering call somewhere out there. He didn’t understand what it was, but he knew one thing. He didn’t want to be the head of the Hasetsu Yakuza. He lunged into his right leg before performing Victor’s signature move the quadruple flip, landing it as well. He was lost in the program and the music, for once his mind becoming silent with peace as he went into a combination spin, relaxed and nothing like the failure he had been the previous year. He landed the flying sit spin, noticing how he had missed this, enjoying ice skating, it almost brought him to tears just now understanding why he wanted to retire so quickly. He pushed them away, he had to a performance to finish and it wouldn’t do him any good thinking about stuff like that now. As the music finally climaxed to where he was finishing the last combination spin his eyes went wide in shock, he didn’t fall on any of the quads, he didn’t mess up anything. It was all perfect. There was a part of him that was wishing he had done that well in the competitions when his thoughts were pushed back to the sound of an inhale, it sounded like Yuuko was crying. Yuuri looked over concerned, though he couldn’t really see, she seemed fine. Then she began to yell, yeah she was fine.

 

“That was so cool! A perfect copy of Victor’s!” She began to pound on the barrier confusing Yuuri to why she was beating up property but didn’t comment. “I thought you were depressed or something!” Now that surprised him, seems like he hasn’t changed if she could read his mind like that still.

 

“I was. But then I got bored of being depressed, but I also didn’t want to resort to the Yakuza, so I got to thinking. “I wanted to get my love for skating back,” I thought I could remember how it was when I copied Victor with you. Yu. I don’t think I should be the Head of Hasetsu.” He confesses. When the triplets of Yuuko popped up startling him as they asked a barrage of questions. He could barely get a word in when Nishigori skated up behind him welcoming him home before teasing him with the girls. At least here he wasn’t put up to the pressure of Yakuza which was refreshing, after saying good byes and promising to be back, Yuuri put his skates away heading back to the Hot Spring.

 

As he walked back he had a feeling he would need to replace the curtains, he wasn’t sure why but he knew something probably went down while he was away. He took the long way back to Yu-topia Akatsuki, wanting to avoid it as much as possible. As soon as he got home, he knew his feeling was right, just by seeing the two guards at the door. He nodded in greeting to them as they bowed, he waved it off, they knew he didn’t like the attention like that. Walking through the base floor in search of any answers, he couldn’t help but notice the extra members. There were more than when he arrived hours before, much more. He knew it wasn’t time for a Sokaiya,  _ so why were there so many members? _

 

He paused at the hallway before his room seeing the telltale signs of a fight, some of the wood on the windowsills, and exposed rafters on the walls had scuff marks. He went to the open window looking out it curious, not seeing anyone he thumbed at the small lines cut into the wood at the base of it. He looked towards his bedroom door eyes scanning it over to see if it had been open. His steps were silent as he moved close, knowing to avoid the creaky floor panel to the right of his door. Looking at said panel he saw a black line from a shoe, a dress shoe would be the only kind to make that type of mark. It was a startled step by how it went towards the door. Someone had stepped on it and was surprised by the sound. An intruder would have been worried for their location was given away. He stood face to the door, his breathe quiet as his heartbeat picked up drowning out any noise that was around him. He pushed a small panel of wood in the wall to the side, not making a sound as he removed the blade from within. He never liked the idea of having a weapon close to his personal quarters but now he was grateful. His hand shook just a bit as he reached for the door handle, knowing as soon as he turned it, if someone was inside they would notice. His legs hummed with energy as he crouched a bit, getting ready to kill if needed. He held his breath holding the knife in a death grip, he counted down in his head, trying to hear anything other than his heart. In a second he threw open his door and moved quick to attack the person in his room.

 

It was silent. His eyes scanned the room too quickly for it to make sense in his head that he had to do a double take. No one was there. He didn’t relax though, he stayed quiet in case they were hiding, his heartbeat no longer blocking his hearing. He closed his eyes listening, confused he stood up and rolled his shoulders. No one was there, not hiding or otherwise. His hand with the knife was shaking a bit but evened out as he relaxed his hold. He put his bag from the rink down and took his phone out of his pocket placing it on the bed. Turning he left the room leaving the door open, that must mean they're in the basement. As soon as he thought that, a scream sounded under him. 

 

Nodding he went down stairs to the base floor, ignoring the stares of the other members, or the soft intakes of air at the image he portrayed. He knew what he looked like. The Head of Hasetsu. Yuuri walked with a brisk pace, still holding the knife but not as forcefully, it was loose in his grip but each member knew that was more dangerous. For Yuuri had been trained as soon as he knew about the Yakuza to wield anything that could be used against him, or to harm. His record was not clean, he never killed but he had inflicted a lot of damage to those against the Yakuza. His steps echoed down the stairs to the basement, the door hidden behind a curtain just to the left of the kitchen, looking like a closet as a front but know where to look you could see the stairs. 

 

Getting to the second door, the man guarding it swallowed his fear allowing Yuuri to go through without a word. The basement wasn’t that much different from the house above, looking warm and comfortable. Only difference was the red carpet instead of pale green. Turning to the left of the main room was the interrogation room, the coldest room in the building. Turning to right was a type of hallway with cell doors, the places they would keep people before someone would pick them up in the morning. He turned left seeing through the window was his Mother, that switch flipped with a cold look in her eyes while the smile that graced her features was much more murderous. The guard knocked twice on the door before a pause and knowing three times more. The signal for Yuuri. His father was nowhere to be seen, Yuuri bet he was cleaning up the carpet, seeing how much the man in the interrogation was bleeding. He laughed, something high pitched and a bit broken from the broken nose. He looked straight into the mirror right where Yuuri was standing.

 

“Has his majesty returned? Will he grace me with his presence?” The man grinned. Yuuri set down the knife peacefully as his mother slapped the man strapped to the chair, she then got up and left the room her arms spattered with blood. 

 

“Yuuri, why are you here?” She whispered.

 

“I saw the hallway, thought I could help.” It wasn’t a lie but she could see how much he was not into doing the interrogation. 

 

“You don’t-”

 

“Saw the posters your majesty.” The man laughed, “Who would had knew that Yakuza’s Hasetsu heir was a faggot.” He dissolved to giggles, “That’s rich. And he’s gay for the Bratva.” He laughed louder. Yuuri was confused at that part but rage seared through him as the man started to sing that wretched word at the mirror like he knew where Yuuri was standing. He clenched his fist, protecting his thumbs so he wouldn’t break them when he beat the man’s face in. He then looked calm, his mother knew that look all too well, it was that same look as his father’s. He went to the main room that looked warm, opening the closet near the door he went through first and changed his clothes, after all he didn’t want blood on his workout clothes. 

 

He changed into a simple tank top with sweatpants, a darker color than the pale grey he wore before. A guard offered a coat to cover his tattoo at first knowing how the Yakuza liked to be dramatic. Yuuri just nodded and pulled it on. He handed his glasses to the same guard and pushed his hair out of his face with a sigh, then he went into the interrogation room. The man laughed harder when he saw Yuuri, chattering away to himself, Yuuri didn’t hear anything just static. His eyes turned to the man and the man stopped laughing suddenly, he got quiet. A different guard came in and removed the coat letting the man strapped to the chair show true fear in his eyes, for those who knew of Yuuri as the Heir did not know he got a tattoo. For the tattoos represented their strength, and sometimes their rank. Yuuri’s spoke of the look in his eyes, how he was a resting dragon, but when poked he would attack. 

 

“So what were you saying?” Yuuri asks calmly his voice as cold as the metal biting his victim’s wrists as he frantically tried to escape, “That I am a,” He paused smirking a little to strike more fear into the man, “As you say faggot? Gay for a Bratva? I’d like to know more, sir.” He says taking a few steps forward as the man tried to push the bolted down chair back, wanting to get away from this monster. “Now my family has done a number on you. That’s for sure.” He hummed tilting the man’s face up by holding his chin lightly. He winced as soon as Yuuri touched him, “And now you’re quiet, pity. I was hoping you’d explain more.” Yuuri gave him a moment to speak when he didn’t he lashed out, moving quickly and swiftly, kicking him in the face. The man screamed in pain as more blood dripped down his nose and off his chin. “Let’s try this again.” Yuuri’s voice was as calm as before. “Will you explain what you mean?” He readied to punch the man this time to break his nose beyond compare.

 

“No! I won’t.” The man shook as he yelled, Yuuri didn’t hesitate and punched him square in the broken nose, knocking him out from the pain. 

 

“Then we’ll have someone pick you up tomorrow and get the answers. It seems we’ve run out of time.” Yuuri knew he couldn’t hear him but he didn’t care going to the guard with the coat and putting it on, “Take him to the cell.” He muttered leaving the room with bloody knuckles. His mother was in pleased shock grinning at him. He put his glasses on and silently went back up the stairs to his room. Every member that saw him was shocked seeing the blood on his hand. Yuuri ignored them like before and went to the bathroom washing off the blood with a sigh. Needing to go to bed, or else the events he just did would haunt him. Once entering his room he paused, did he forget his phone in his sweats down stairs? A blinking light on his bed caught his attention and he knew that he just forgot. Confused at the light he unlocked it seeing five missed calls and almost thirty new texts. 

 

_ Nishigori?  _

 

He opened the first message, his mind dulled from the violence but this brought him out of it immediately. 

 

‘[Katsuki Yuuri] Tried to Skate Victor’s FS Program [Stay Close to Me]’

 

It was the title of the youtube video that was staring at him from his scene. He quickly called up Nishigori.

 

“I’m sorry Yuuri. My kids uploaded the video, and it went viral.” Yuuri could hear scolding going on in the background and something about staking otakus. With so much going on earlier his mind finally gave out, all he could do was mutter a good night, turn off his phone, and pass out.

 

Yuuri woke up to the sound of his mother calling to him from outside his door, something about shoveling snow. But it was spring? Why would he need to shovel snow? He slowly got up and opened the blinds, oh it did snow, and a lot. He was about to check the news on the weather but paused remembering he turned his phone off so he wouldn’t have any calls. With a sigh he got up changing into some warm clothes, he needed to go take care of that before any customers came in. Grabbing his shoes and the shovel he put them on heading outside to start it. It was a good couple of hours until it was enough that people could walk through it easily. Once done he put the shovel up, and grabbed his skating bag, 

 

“I’ll be back.” He called out to his family before going to the skating rink. He needed to clear his mind before anything else. The images from the night before were flashing in his mind still. How could had done that? Was he really going to stab someone for being in his room. Finally on the ice with his skates laced up he relaxed that itching anxiety still squirming in his body. Yuuko had left to go take care of some business still apologizing for the night before. He just shook his head staring at the ice, trying to loosen his thoughts. It was bad enough he swore he could see red on his hand still. He took a deep breath and skated in lazy circles, breathing in the cold air. 

 

_ Why was I chosen to be the head? Mari is fine with taking it over, and I do want to make my family happy, but I don’t know if I can handle all of this. Look at how I handled the competitions, couldn’t even come home for a whole year since I wanted to make it up and failed those too.  _ He sighed switching to figure eights,  _ It’s not like they’re losing a valuable asset. I’m just the errand boy most times anyways.  _

 

Yuuri didn’t realize how long he was on the skate till Yuuko called out to him, saying his mother wanted him home. He yelled back that he would get going. He got off the ice a bit nervous, why didn’t she call him or text him? As he was putting his skates in the bag he saw that she did. That explains it. Switching to his running shoes he ran out trying to get home as fast as possible.

 

Yuuri was panting hard as he got to Yu-topia Akatsuki, and was startled, instead of the two guards like yesterday, there were at least five. He heard a distant bark and was more confused, did a customer have a dog? As soon as he stepped into the front garden he was surrounded the guards muttering things about keeping him safe, they escorted him to the door once inside the building a group of three guards came up surrounding him. 

 

“Okay hold on, before anything, can I get changed?” Yuuri asked shaking a bit in fear, was his family in trouble? Did someone target them? The guards let him change in private in his room. He wore something more professional, a black clean button down, then tight fitting black leggings, his tattoo the only piece of color on him. He slicked his hair back once more before following the guards down to the basement, he left his glasses on knowing he’d need to see this time. Once entering a large beast pounced onto him making him fall back. Immediately guns were out aiming at it, Yuuri waved them away as the dog licked at his face making him laugh before the dog moved away to smell him. This wasn’t Vicchan but it looked exactly like him, just bigger. His father came into view looking pleased instead of the scary cold look he normally had.

 

“Yuuri, isn’t he just like Vicchan?” He asks smiling, before it shifted, “He came with the guy in the interrogation.” Yuuri’s heart sank and sat up letting the dog moved over to the main carpet and lay down. Standing up fully without the help of the guards he saw him. He was beautiful and graceful just like he remembered. Just like how he would watch, he was suave and crisp, even with a bruise on his lower jaw. Wait. Yuuri went towards the window looking through as Mari talked smoothly with Victor Nikiforov, he was shirtless revealing a mural of tattoos, the first that caught his eye were the twin stars on the front of his shoulders 

 

_ His branch. _ He thought knowing of the Brotherhood to have different stars for different prisons, 

 

the left shoulder bore an epaulette that looked extremely similar to his free program’s costume

 

_ His Rank _ , 

 

on his right collar connecting to his neck was a handle of a knife

 

_ A hitman that has killed before _ ,

 

on his right forearm it held a single rose

 

_ He spent his eighteenth year in jail or in the Brotherhood _ , 

 

on his chest there was a monk writing in a book with a dagger

 

_ He knew how to handle a blade skillfully _ ,

 

and finally below the monk was a chapel with skulls and a coffin but with not many domes on the chapel.

 

_ He was a murderer and has spent little time in jail for it. _

 

He was a Bratva.

 

The words from the night before haunted him and teased him, but unlike the other russian spies he’d seen, Victor was calm and speaking to Mari on an equal level. A guard knocked on the door twice, a pause, then three more times. Mari looked up at the mirror nodded and got up. Victor smiled patiently looking relaxed in his seat.  _ Where is my mother? _ The thought entered his mind suddenly and he looked around not seeing her. 

 

Mari went up to him, “He’s requesting to speak to you, but he’s a hitman, so I’m not comfortable sending you in.”

 

“Where’s Mother?”

 

“She’s upstairs, she was the one who punched him. Apparently he came in asking for you and then she noticed the knife.” Mari says motioning to her neck, the spot where the tattoo was on Victor. “She’s not sure if you should go in either. I know he’s a skater but..” She trailed off taking out a cigarette, “Up to you.” 

 

Yuuri thought about it, he was too shy to even talk to Victor at the finals much less the banquet, he looked at Victor through the window. “I’ll talk to him, maybe he’ll explain why he’s here.”

 

“Has, says he wants to talk to you and have a break from the Bratva.” She says blowing out smoke, Mari herself was like a dragon, matching her own tattoo. 

 

“I’ll talk to him.” He repeated hesitating at the door before entering the interrogation room and having a seat, finally meeting his eyes in shock, why would Victor want to talk to him? He tried not to stutter, “Victor, why are you here?”

 

Victor leaned forward with a grin, “Yuuri, starting today, I would like to be your coach. I can get you to win the Grand Prix Final.” He had the gall to wink, while Yuuri could hear the cocking of guns outside the room for flirting with him.

 

_ He was a genius who never failed to surprise me. _


	2. Je veux pas vous draguer, promis, juré

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Introducing Yurio, the Blonde Stranger.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to caboose12 for being my beta!

Victor laid out his story for Yuuri, how he left his mafia to come to Japan and train Yuuri. He never really said why though, just that he was there for Yuuri and was insisting with vigor that he would win gold under his wing. Four taps at the door sounded as Victor’s story came to an end. Smoothly Yuuri stood, 

 

“I’ll be right back.” It was polite and calm not as shaken as his inner self was at the proposal. He left the room and met his family face to face. Mari looked a bit pitiful for Yuuri, his mother steeled for any news while her eyes spoke of raging anger, his father had a small smile as if this was a joke. Yuuri didn’t blame them it’s how he felt too. His mother was the first to speak.

 

“It’s your choice. Consider it your first assignment for training you into being the Head of Hasetsu.” She says, then grinned getting excited, “It’s a great idea, and the media that will come, will be none the wiser of our,” She paused in searching for the right words,” “other activities”. Then if you do win gold it will have helped us all. And even if you say no, we can always kill him.” Yuuri and Mari shared a look knowing that the death of an extremely popular bachelor would be harder to cover up, unlike a grocery store owner, or of a competitor in the hot springs that didn’t agree to the terms. 

 

“Then I’ll accept it.” Yuuri says shocking his family, “Treat him as a guest, and if he contacts them, or does something that would bring misfortune to us, then we’ll get rid of him.” Without another word or glance, knowing it would be more pride and shocked looks on their faces, he walked back into the room sitting down and exhaling slowly. “These are your terms. You will not contact anyone inside of the Bratva, if you do we will know, you will coach me properly, and you will not harm me or anyone else here. Or else you will be killed without hesitation.” Victor just grinned happily,

 

“Mind if I take a bath, eat some food, and get some rest than?”

 

Hours later with a passed out happy Victor laying on the floor of the main dining room, dressed in one of the robes that came with the room. Now that he was no longer considered a large threat in Yuuri’s mother’s mind Victor was treated like the figure skating legend rather than the possible Bratva hitman, and with more people watching just in case with guns at easy access.. Yuuri sat watching him as his thoughts devoured him,” _ Why did I accept the proposition? Do I really just want to be that close to my idol? Or am I some sick person just hoping Victor wouldn’t mess up and actually kill me? _ ” Well that last thought was a bit extreme but after the failure he was last year in the competitions it made sense to Yuuri. As he was lost in thought he could hear chattering behind him, it seemed Minako learned of their guest but not of his full truth. 

 

“Why is Victor sleeping in one of the inn’s robes?!” She practically screamed, Yuuri was about to scold her for yelling while Victor was sleeping but stopped himself knowing that wouldn’t do this image justice, besides the fact that she was thinking of him as a legend than a murderer, so he explained what happened after the interrogation leaving that bit out of it. “It’s big news in Russia.” She says afterwards a bit quieter. “He’s taking his next season off and is considering his next move. They’re also saying that when he saw the video of you skating his routine, he was struck with inspiration, and that’s when he decided to be your coach.” She finished crossing her arms. Yuuri stopped for a moment realizing how much attention they were getting, this wasn’t good at all for the Yakuza, hopefully they wouldn’t send anyone. “Victor came here because he chose you, Yuuri.” Minako added. Yuuri looked at Victor’s sleeping form, maybe his decision wasn’t that bad after all, for if he did choose him then maybe he was serious about leaving that Bratva, but knowing about the Bratva, they’d probably send someone or more to get Victor back.

 

A sneeze is what brought Yuuri and Minako to attention, as Victor sat up lazily still holding his dog. He looked over his shoulder at Yuuri, as he claimed he was hungry a shoulder of the robe sliding down revealing his knife and epaulette tattoos. If Yuuri wasn’t so focused on how the gang was watching them, he would had taken notice of how he looked seductive with his hair swept down one side of his face and his lips parted just slightly muttering nonsense about food.

 

“What would you like to eat?” He asks trying to hold down the panic that rose up in his stomach, he had to act like a host ignoring the glare from Minako. She knew what those tattoos meant and distracting her was the best thing to do now. Victor thought for a moment, humming a bit to fill the small space of silence.

 

“As your coach, I’d like to know what your favorite food is, Yuri.” He lifted his head like it was the best idea he’d had.  _ But that doesn’t make sense why would he need to know my favorite food? _

 

“What?” He asked before his mother came in serving the dish, Yuuri could feel Minako’s glare but she knew better than start claiming when they were acting polite, especially to someone important. Victor grew excited like a child, as he looked over the dish.

 

“Our specialty, the pork cutlet bowl, extra-large.” Yuuri’s mother announced grinning. Practically skipping out of the room as Victor showed his enjoyment in the homemade dish.

 

“We’re glad you like it.” Yuuri says almost embarrassed. Minako put her harsh visage away and smirked, if it meant embarrassing or harassing Yuuri she would do anything to do it. 

 

“Yuri gains weight easily, so he’s only allowed to eat it when he won competition. Right?” She leaned into her hand grinning at Yuuri as he turned red at the statement. 

 

“Oh? So have you eaten this pork cutlet bowl recently?” Victor asks after swallowing his last bite.

 

“Yes, yes. I eat it often-” He was interrupted by Minako.

 

“Especially after an interrogation where he nearly kills someone.” The room went silent as horror dawned onto Yuuri’s face, Minako was just smirking at Victor. This was a challenge. 

 

“Well, you haven’t won anything, and I bet you would be much like pig’s body by now, then my lessons would be meaningless. Therefore you must keep in shape, around the weight you had back in last year’s Grand Prix Final, or I will never coach you. Afterall what good does the Head of Hasetsu do when his public image is spoiled?” He asks wiping a piece of rice off of his cheek with a sly grin. “Until you can prove you can keep the weight under, no more pork cutlet bowls.” His sly grin became something more amoral. “Okay, Little Piggy?” The sound of guns cocking were heard once more as Victor passed off a more innocent smile trying to calm them down. 

 

Yuuri on the other hand felt as if he should be offended but he wasn’t sure why he wasn’t. Maybe it was Victor being a minx and seducing him in his own ways, perhaps that’s why Yuuri could only focus on him. Mari broke the tension by arriving through the sliding doors closest to the front lobby. 

 

“Hey, this luggage is in the way.” She pointed out to the many boxes in the lobby.

 

“Can you take it to the room where I will be staying?” Victor asks waving politely, if he wasn’t surrounded by gang members one would think this guest was pampered like the queen. Both Minako and Yuuri spoke at the same time a bit concerned.

 

“Staying?” Yuuri was about to argue that living in the small house would be bad for the gang but hesitated, he did say Victor was to be treated like a guest, and there were no real hotels around. Which meant no guards on Victor’s floor. With a grunt as he stood, Yuuri went over helping Mari with the luggage taking it to an unused banquet room, he could hear rambling about the small room from Victor but blocked it out knowing in Russia things were a bit bigger than in Japan, especially a small town in Japan.Yuuri was crouched down next to a heavy box having to get his breath back in his lungs as he answered that there was no sofa and apologized for the size, claiming it was the only space they had left, which was true besides the basement. But both knew Victor wouldn’t stay there if he was a guest. 

“You look anxious.” Yuuri was pulled out of his thoughts by that, did the stress of everything in the last day show that evident on him? “You can pay the coaching fee after you achieve success! I’ll bill you later.” He announced, though it wasn’t a huge thing on Yuuri’s mind it was nice to know he didn’t have to panic and get the right amount right away. He thanked him a bit surprised by the topic change. His eyes followed Victor as he kneeled down in front of Yuuri one hand supporting him delicately on the floor, “Yuuri, tell me everything about you.” He reached up his fingertips sliding against the skin under his chin. “What kind of rink do you skate at?” He leaned forward just a bit, enough to have Yuuri’s eyes flicker to his lips before quickly meeting his eyes knowing that sign of weakness would be used against him. “What’s in this city?” He could feel a warm heat scrawl across his cheeks as that blasted shoulder on the robe fell off again revealing more chest than shoulder this time. “Is there a girl you like?” The hand disappeared from floor, on hand still holding his chin, and slipped down his right arm, down to his wrist to grab his hand in a light hold. Yuuri could swear he heard piano chords, and hoped that was only in his thoughts. “Before we start practicing, let’s build some trust in our relationship.” Victor leaned closer, his eyes still locked on Yuuri’s as he practically whispered it like sweet nothings into the air carelessly. 

 

Yuuri was shellshocked imprisoned in those ocean blue eyes that he knew millions of people would die to see them this close to. They were close enough that Yuri could feel Victor’s breath on his skin as they moved even closer. Something snapped in him, instead of fleeing like how he wished, Yuuri grabbed onto the hand pulling Victor closer, seeing the astonishment in Victor’s eyes before it disappeared with a simple shift in weight. Yuuri held onto him in a breaking hold, then flipped him over his shoulder and pinned him to the floor one arm up against Victor’s throat cutting off the air supply. Victor smirked a little as Yuuri pulled his arm away but kept the pin on him, hearing that careless whisper once more. 

 

“What? Why are you running away?” It was teasing, flirty and a challenge. 

 

“No reason.” Yuuri replied not rising to the challenge before standing up releasing his hold, “ _ I’m still scared to be close to him. _ ” He thought starting to leave the room, Victor stayed on the floor sprawled out much like a cat, 

 

“Yuuri, let’s sleep together.” He proposed, leaving a bit too long of a pause, “As your coach, there’s so much I need to learn about you.” That finally broke Yuuri having him jump to rush to his room, yelling out his negative response.

 

Back safe in his room separated from his door and at least a floor, Yuuri took down every poster of Victor knowing he wouldn’t allow anyone to use that against him again. “ _ We’ve barely ever spoken because I always put him on such a high pedestal, and now he’s right here. I get it now.My heart’s pounding because of how happy I am. _ ” Yuuri thought as he went to bed, it wasn’t just because of that odd moment in the bedroom, it was because he finally had something to work with.

 

The next day Victor started to train him, if only to keep his weight down. Most of the time it was Victor riding a bike ahead and Yuuri trying his best to keep up in the cold air. Something that surprised Yuuri was how friendly Victor was with the rest of the town, every morning Victor would greet those on the route especially the old fisherman who liked his spot on the bridge. Thankfully the Nishigori Family had let them use the ice rink as a private home base. An added bonus was watching Victor skate in person, not just on the television, it was fluid and just as magical. It still baffled Yuuri how Victor was inspired by a video of him, for he was just copying what Victor did.Later that night, Yuuri went to practice with Minako. 

 

“Maybe he just wanted an excuse to take a break.” Though it was obvious she didn’t just mean with the competitions.

 

“Please don’t say that. That’s what I suspect too, but..”

 

“You decided to keep skating, didn’t you? Then you need to take advantage of Victor. After all, we still don’t know if he’ll live to see you win.” Yuuri hummed quietly at that, not agreeing, but also not disagreeing. He shook his head and began to practice with her again knowing he’d need it. Minako was kind and a wonderful person if not a little headstrong. She used to travel the world as a dancer. But after a damaged studio and experience from a gang not connected with the Yakuza, Yuuri’s parents helped her get a better studio, helped her learn how to not fear those types of people. She bought a bar for herself, a side front to help with the drugs but also to show she meant business. When Yuuri was younger he spent more time in her studio than in home. Learning not just dancing but how to fight. She wanted to protect him like how his parents had. Then when she suggested ice skating, Yuuri took it up just because she thought it would be good for him. He was glad he followed her advice, even if she likes to meddle around.

 

“Do you have feelings for Minako?” Victor asked the next day during their training on the mountain.

 

“What? No way!”

 

“Do you have a lover?” He asks getting eager at how embarrassed Yuuri was acting.

 

“No.” Yuuri answered looking almost upset, which made Victor more excited.

 

“Any ex lovers?” Why was Victor so joyful about this?

 

“No comment.” Suddenly Victor was right up against him.

 

“Let’s talk about me! My first lover was-”   


“Stop!” He was interrupted by Yuuri who definitely didn’t want to know about anything like that. As soon as he spoke Victor deflated looking upset as he rest his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. He let them sit and watch in silence for a while until Makkachin barked looking like he wanted to go on another walk, though something caught Victor’s eye.

 

“Yuuri, what’s that castle over there?”

 

“Oh, that’s Hasetsu Castle. Inside it’s a ninja house.” He says playfully though it did hold a large amount of their equipment for Yakuza and many trained there as well. Victor perked right back up,

 

“Really? Ninjas?” As if he wasn’t talking to a skilled fighter. 

 

They made the walk up there Makkachin gladly following them, barking at them occasionally to tell them to hurry up. They soon made it to the main courtyard, entering with a bow to the guards there. They knew Yuuri had a guest but not of who. Seeing him they didn’t seem fazed, apparently they didn’t know or care.But it was easy to hear the whispered questions, curious of who was with Yuuri. Holding Makkachin, to his chest Yuuri took the picture as asked, the older skater making a peace sign with a big grin for it. It was endearing, to the point that Yuuri could see some of the guards hiding their smiles. After posting it Yuuri led him through the castle, more so the tourist sections, just in case, letting him get the full experience before getting him back to the Springs.

 

As they were inside the main dining room a loud crowd could be heard outside, of course there would be a mass media waiting outside for Victor’s next move. His mother beaming with joy at the thought of more visitors and active business. Mari on the other hand was worried about the Yakuza but kept it to herself as the crowd ran to the springs than left to rink knowing that’s where he was. Luckily they were able to rest easy that night till morning. Victor had left early claiming he wanted to check on the Nishigori family and rink, while Yuuri went on his run, still needing to lose a few more pounds to be let on the ice. As he passed through the town shops and restaurants were buzzing happily with gossip of Victor. Perhaps he left earlier to take care of the media, instead of just worrying about the Nishigori’s. 

 

About a week later of intense non stop training, Yuuri didn’t even realize he barely saw Victor, he assumed everything was fine, there was no new stains, and he did see his presence in the inn when Yuuri was getting ready to sleep. But for the entire week he hadn’t even spoken to Victor, though Victor had called greetings to him, from down stairs to when he knew Yuuri was going to his room he’d shout a good night wish. It was odd but Yuuri guessed it was just something he did. And even if he hadn’t seen nor spoke to Victor he got whispers from members to let him know what was going on. The angry russian phone calls, the long walks with Makkachin, Yuuri asked if Victor made the calls or if he picked them up. They replied that he would pick them up listen shout at the phone and hang up then leave to the springs, the castle, the rink or just on a walk with Makkachin. Obviously whoever was calling him upset him greatly. 

 

Yuuri was just finishing up his run to the rink glad to finally be at the weight allowed to be on the ice. As he went up he didn’t even realize the crowd of reporters, the triplets, or the blonde stranger, to the point he rammed right into the glass doors before realizing he was at his destination. He leaned heavily against the cold glass doors breathing hard, in trying to get some air into his lungs from the six mile run,

 

“Finally here, I’m exhausted.” He spoke between breaths, he distantly heard the girls call him, but didn’t pick up on the warning in their tone of voice. “Hey get this, my weight’s back to where it was before the Grand Prix Final. Now I’ll finally get Victor’s permission to skate.” He exhaled happily holding his hands together in prayer hoping he would. He began to open the doors when a kick caught him off guard, projecting him into the lobby of the rink and face planting the reception desk. As he laid a bit stunned a foot came down onto his forehead, it didn’t hurt that much but naturally he winced in discomfort, before noticing someone was talking to him. Oh, it was the blonde stranger. Oh, it was Yuri Pilsetsky. Oh crap. He looked up at him as he pressed his weight into his skull through his foot. Yuri, from Russia, began to demand Yuuri, from Japan, to start apologizing, so just in case he did not understanding why. Soon enough Yuri removed his foot and leaned against the reception counter. 

 

“He promised me first that he’d choreograph a program for me. What about you?” Yuuri was thrown for a loop with this, did Yuri have an interest in why Victor was coaching him? HE remembered seeing Yuri at the Grand Prix Finals when he was leaving and caught a glimpse of Victor but that was it, besides television. Why was he so interested?

 

“Huh? We haven’t gotten to talking about programs or anything.” Literally, nothing. He spoke as he stood up checking his fingers for blood on his head, happy to not see any.

 

“What?!” Yuri stomped his foot down like a toddler not getting what he wanted, “You make him take a whole year off, and to do what?” Yuuri paused his eyes looking him over, oh. This was who was on the phone with Victor. He did another glance, he was also apart of the Bratva but not as committed at Victor obviously, seeing that how he held himself spoke that he had more bark than bite. “Isn’t getting him as a coach enough?” He also didn’t know who Yuuri was in this town. “As if a guy who failed so much they thought he was injured but wasn’t at the Grand Prix Final can change at all just by getting Victor as a coach!” There was the Bratva in his eyes, Yuuri could see it plain as day, he had beaten that look out of other gang members before, the look of dominance and not a shred of fear, he was a kitten compared to the dragon in front of him. 

 

_ He’s totally underestimating me. _ Yuuri didn’t mean to but his persona slipped into the Head of Hasetsu smirking at the child. Which caused for him to stomp again and demand he stopped while calling him names, if he only knew Yuuri could kill him in a second with just his hands. 

 

“I don’t think you get the whole picture, so you should ask him yourself.” Yuri backed down for a second, so he noticed the change? The swift move from the innocent Yuuri who let people walk over him to keep a cover to the deadly calm that stayed in his eyes as he lead Yuri to the rink. At least he calmed down at that. Besides it wasn’t like Yuuri begged for Victor to coach him, he came on his own will, even left his gang to do so. As he opened the doors there was a switch in Yuri, his annoyed look turned to surprise seeing Victor skate.

 

“Huh? Those moves….They’re for the short program Victor was practicing for next season.” He commented as he rested against the barrier Yuuri followed. “Victor was already putting together routines for next season. But he was really torn. Surprising the audience has always been his top priority. He had the whole world in his hands, in more ways than one.” He muttered the last part, “But now, no matter what he does, no one’s surprised anymore. He knows that better than anyone. If you don’t have any inspiration left, you’re as good as dead. If he’s going to take next season off, I wonder if he’ll let me use his program.” He commented unconsciously. Yuri then took a deep breath before yelling out at Victor on the ice,

 

“You look like you’re doing great, Victor!” He says sarcastically.

 

“Oh Yuri, you’re here? I’m surprised Yakov let you come. What do you want?” Yuri gave him a rather upset face looking pissed at him which made him laugh.

 

“Judging from that look,I’m guessing  I forgot a promise I made.” After Yuri explained the promise of an amazing Senior Debut that would win gold, Victor spoke, “Sorry, sorry. I totally forgot. But you knew I was the forgetful type, right?”

 

“Yeah, I’m painfully aware of that.” Yuri was practically shaking with rage next to Yuuri. “But a promise is a promise! You’ll choreograph my new program! Let’s go back to Russia!” Yuuri felt his blood go cold, he knew this was Victor’s choice but if he left after spending so much time with them the gang would probably think he escaped and went to sell their secrets even if he didn’t learn anything. He knew faces, he knew where people lived, that’s all he would need. Meaning his family would probably lose a digit or two, or worst. Yuuri watched in horror as Victor thought it over, almost jumping at the sudden outburst from Victor who claimed he had an idea. 

 

“Tomorrow, I’ll choreograph a program for both of you. To the same music I’m using in my short program.”

 

“What?! With the same choreography?!” “Huh?! The same music as him?!” They spoke at the same time with equal dislike on both ends.

 

“No, this piece has several different arrangements. I was trying to decide which one to use. I’ll think of a different program for each of you, of course. I’ll reveal the programs in one week.You’ll compete to see who can surprise the audience more!” Victor claimed.

 

“Wait, let’s take this a step down, I don’t want to be punished for losing-”

 

“Victor will do whatever the winner says!” Yuri barged into Yuuri’s worry grinning like a cat in wanting to win. “If those are the terms I’m in.”

 

Victor looked ready to cry with happiness, “Great! I love that kind of thing!” Yuuri could only pay attention a bit more as the triplets came in and started planning a party or something like a face off of the two Yuris. Yuuri’s mind could only go to the gang and how he was going to get killed if he lost. He didn’t even notice Victor and Yuri had followed him home. Yuri immediately followed Victor up to his room making Yuuri follow as well. He didn’t even bother to removed his jacket.

 

“What a hovel. Where’s my room?” Yuuri was about to suggest the basement but he knew that wouldn’t go over very well, especially since he didn’t know, so he played it off with surprise of him staying. “If you get Victor to yourself all the time, it won’t be a fair match! I’ll stay here too alright!” Yuuri thought it was funny how he would try to act tough.

 

“It’s not like you care what I think.” He teased.

 

“The hot spring is great.” Chimed in Victor.

 

“I can’t take a bath with other people! I’m going to sleep!” Yuuri slammed the door to his part of the room. Yuuri gave him five seconds knowing he’d be back. “Give me food! And a bath!” He demanded. Yuuri left him to his devices as he sat down in Victor’s room, for Yuri refused to eat in the main one. Yuuri removed his jacket and sat down at the table with a sigh waiting for Yuri to finish with his bath. He could feel Victor’s eyes on his tattoo, he had almost forgotten he wore a short sleeve under it. Yuuri was about to ask what was wrong when Yuri stormed into the room and sat down waiting for food. Yuri got up and brought over a katsudon for him, while his mother brought Victor some sake and himself a broccoli and noodle dish. Yurio was eating like a mad man stuffing his face, to notice the tattoo, when Yuuri’s sister walked in.

 

“You have another visitor, Yuuri?”

 

“Huh?” Yuri didn’t realize that she was talking to her brother turning to look at her. The usual stoic face of Yuuri’s sister broke as she sqealled. 

 

“His name is also Yuri.” Their mother told her which made Mari frown.

 

“What? That’s confusing. Okay, you’re Yurio.” She dubbed him making him show his distaste. Yuuri zoned out as she asked where he would stay his mother answering the questions when she noticed the look in his eye, as he watched Victor tease Yuri of the nickname. 

 

_ Oh, of course. _ He got up on autopilot having caught something about helping his sister but didn’t pay enough attention so he left instead. His sister’s complaints falling on deaf ears.  _ That Yuri has more potential than I do. He’s confident that he’ll win gold in his senior debut. He was probably in the same situation in the Bratva, an upcoming head or Chief.  _ Yuuri ran to the ice rink Makkachin on his heels.  _ Above all he’s comfortable around Victor. Compared to me, he’s much more. _ Once in the rink he didn’t bother talking to Mako or Nishigori, he went straight to the ice and started to practice. After a few hours of lazy free circles he left, noticing Makkachin was missing he panicked for a bit, before Yuko came out and explained how Victor was looking for him and took Makkachin home. 

 

It was almost midnight when he got to Yu-Topia Akatsuki, Victor and Yuri passed out in their rooms. The house was silent as he went up to his own and fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.

 

Yuuri was woken up by Yuri yelling at Victor. With a groan he quickly got up getting dressed, knowing today was going to be rough with training already if Yuri was shouting at seven in the morning. On their usual run the same route, same fisherman, same greetings, just with a bit more sass from Yuri now. In the rink Yuuri was determined, he would show everyone that he would not fail this time. The gang, his family, every supporter in Hasetsu. He would not lose this chance. Especially since his reputation in the gang was riding on this as well. 

 

After pulling on their skates they went to the rink standing still as they listened to the music as Victor wished. The first one calming, yet innocent, a true experience if one was more naive or perceived as soft. It was obviously Yuuri’s. No one knew of his other life, and it would make sense if Victor wished to live longer, he would keep it that way. Agape was the front put up for the Yakuza and there would be no denying it. Innocent and pure, with a hint of flavor no one could place.

 

Then there was Eros. It was just like the Bratva, well any gang or mafia, passionate, rushed, trying to out do the other in a more flashy way. Outgoing, creative, and bordering erotic. Obviously Yuri. Who was loud and out there, saying he would win gold in his first year. Probably challenged anyone who would fight the Bratva. He even demanded to be picked for the song. Yuuri tried not to laugh, it was funny how the songs were the same in the basics but there was no correlation to them when hearing them. They complimented each other the same way they opposed the other. He paused at that thought. It makes sense now why Victor was torn between the two. Either the life of a famous skater, Agape, or of a skilled hitman in the Bratva, Eros. 

 

“I’ll have you two skate these opposing themes, this is how I’m assigning them.” He paused for a dramatic flare. “Yuuri, you’ll skate Eros.” He pointed to Yuuri before pointing to Yuri, “Yurio, you’ll skate Agape.” It took a few seconds for them to realize what was happening before they overreacted. Yuri demanding once more to switch them while Yuuri sat there confused to why he got the more sexual piece. Victor just grinned. “You have to do the opposite of what people expect. How else will you surprise them? That’s my motto.” He paused before continuing, “Actually, you’re both far more ordinary and mediocre than you think. You need to be more self aware. I’m surprised you think you can choose your own image. From the audience’s perspective, you’re just a piglet and a kitten. If you aren’t up to my standards by next week, I won’t choreograph either of your programs. Both of you are my fans, so I’m sure you’ll manage.” He smirked. 

 

Yuri accepted first, “My senior debut depends on it. You’d better give me a program that’ll let me win.”

 

Victor didn’t spare a second on the boy, “It’s up to you whether you win or not. If I skated the program, I’d win for sure.” His eyes spoke of how he had killed for lesser threats then that.

 

“If I win, Victor, you’re coming back to Russia, to the Bratva! You’ll be my coach and return to your rank! That’s what I want.” At least Yuuri was right about Yuri being Bratva. Victor accepted, before turning to Yuuri.

 

“What about you? What will you do if you win?” He was too calm, while Yuri was looking at Yuuri waiting for a reaction of the reveal.

 

“I want to eat pork cutlet bowls with you, Victor. Without fearing you will leave and spill the secrets of the Yakuza, causing me to have to kill you.” He says without stuttering. “I’ll win with Eros, and give it all the Eros I’ve got.” He announced not flinching from the shocked look coming off of Yuri. 

 

Victor looked proud, “Great. That’s exactly what I like!” 

  
“You’re apart of the Yakuza!?” Yuri snarled, digging his toe of the blade into the ice to push himself forward and attack Yuuri.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait guys, this one was really hard to write, I tried as best as I could and I hope you like it. So my beta, caboose0012, is not really into Yuri on Ice so she's mainly just fixing my crappy writing. But don't worry I'm getting her into it slowly. Also I'll try to update once a week, but I'm basically doing two jobs right now and slowly dying from that and I'm coming out of sickness so please be patient. Also to theduck_god and Ares_Skittles, I apologize for not replying but you guys really helped push me to post this chapter so quickly. I love feedback and I will reply if I have the time. Know I love all of you! And I hope you all wait for Chapter Three with anticipation!
> 
> Also I'm thinking of changing the titles to something else, tell me what you guys think, Thank you!


	3. Vous avez autre chose à faire, vous m’auriez vu hier

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You’re apart of the Yakuza!?” Yuri snarled, digging his toe of the blade into the ice to push himself forward and attack Yuuri.

Yuuri moved swiftly to the side in avoiding his first attack, Yuri too hell-bent on landing the blow to focus on key elements of being on ice. There was a growl that echoed in the rink, Yuuri gaining speed on the ice to keep a good distance from him. He didn’t want Yuri to get hurt, or worse.

 

But Yuri tired of going in circles of cat and mouse, he shifted his weight to the left too quickly for Yuuri to out skate and pounced on his prey. They fell to the ice Yuuri feeling it on his back, he expected the blow, half wanting it so that his anger would go away but it never came. 

 

When he opened his eyes he saw Yuri was gone, and realized there was no weight on him either. He slowly sat up looking to the side where Victor was kneeled on the ice looking calm and at peace. He had a hand wrapped around Yuri’s neck and a thin blade held to the internal jugular vein on the right side of his neck. The knife was a simple but expensive tool that Victor held with surgical precision. It was a Finka 2, with a wood handle, Yuuri guessed birch or something light colored, the blade itself looked steel but then again it had a darker color to it, the small engravings were what really caught his eye though. It looked smooth until the light hit it showing a set of Russian characters down the edge of the blade, Yuuri didn’t know what they said but he also couldn’t see most of it since it was so close to Yuri’s skin. Then there was Yuri who looked as if he didn’t want to swallow for he had the respect and fear in his eyes that showed he knew what Victor could do. The air was tense, almost too tense for the cold air that hung around them showing soft breaths of heat escape their mouths. Victor then removed the blade from Yuri’s neck, still pinning him down with his hand. He spoke in Russian with the speed that only a native tongue could understand. Yuuri sat there dumbfounded as he watched Yuri nod slowly. Victor then looked to Yuuri, his ocean blue eyes were nothing like the night of his arrival, where they were soft, playful and seductive. These were cold, sharp as the blade he still held in his right hand, they were unforgiving like the ice when falling out of a quad, Yuuri got lost in them the same way he melted in them when they were warm.

 

“Yuuri.” That got him to focus, “You can hold yourself in a fight, you have no need to be rescued, why did you let yourself stop to get beaten?” Yuuri was at a loss of words, while Yuri watched curious as well but still fuming with rage, Victor tightened his grip on Yuri’s throat making him calm down. 

 

“Yuri was angry what’s the use of letting that build up, sometimes letting it out on someone or something helps calm them down.”

 

“Yet if your mother or anyone in town saw bruises on your beautiful face, they would immediately try to kill me or Yurio.” Yuuri paused at that. 

 

“I’d tell them not to, they listen to me.” He says softly but confidently. Victor hummed amused before turning back to Yuri speaking in Russian again. Yuri just muttered his response before Victor removed his hand, put his knife away in the sheath on his hip, hidden under his shirt and waistband, then stood. 

 

“That was fun and exciting but now let’s get back to the themes.” He grinned helping Yuuri up onto his feet while Yuri got up himself. They were both led to the barrier where Yuko was watching from around the corner of the door to the rink. Victor just nodded and motioned for her to come in. They entered and Victor put his coaching back on track going to the speaker and moving it to where Yuuri stood handing him the remote and then skating to the middle of the rink. The tension between them was still thick but not as choking as their eyes fell onto Victor who stood poised ready for the music. “First, Yurio’s “On Love: Agape.”” He announces as a signal for Yuuri to press play. 

 

As the first tone poured out of the speakers Victor’s body changed, relaxing to blend in with the dance, his hand swiftly reaching to the air before falling down his face and across his neck, turning to have his arms spread out with wings. It fit perfectly to be an angel to such gospel music. As he went through the first steps of the sequence his hands came together in prayer, his small audience silent as they watched the beauty. His body moved like water with grace slipping from turns to glides in perfect timing with the music. Each movement was telling the story of how this dancer had a simple life, something to hold onto, something to cherish, even in his eyes it spoke of the childlike innocent that was woven into the seams of his skating. Yuuri watched amazed to how he felt like he was being transported back in time to when he first saw Victor live and felt his breath be taken once more from the man of his dreams. “ _ Crap, this is hard. Victor can pull it off, but I wonder how Yurio will do it. _ ” He looked down at Yuri seeing the intense contraction, as quick as it had began it ended, Victor’s hands clasped together above his face as he looked to the heavens, Yuuri paused the continuing music.

 

“Kind of like that. What do you think?” Victor asks smiling, his body relaxed not showing any of the tense training he wore as a hitman. 

 

“Yeah, I pretty much got it.” Yuri deadpanned, making Yuuri exhale sharply in surprise, there was no way this kid got all of that.

 

“Wow...That was amazing.” Clapped Yuko quietly, apparently Yuri didn’t remember who Yuuko was. But now that Yuuri thought about it they never had a formal introduction. 

 

“She’s one of the staff here, Yuuko.”

 

“Sorry for interrupting your practice.” She says politely, Yuuri half suspected Yuri didn’t notice her entrance from the events before hand. “I couldn’t help myself.”

 

“Okay Yuuri, you’re next.” Victor called bringing the attention back to him, like normal. Yuuri agreed and started the music as Victor stood ready.

 

The guitar strummed quietly as Victor rose his hands to follow the shape of his body before reaching out to the left creating the atmosphere with just a smirk and some fancy moves with his hands. The music climaxing briefly to show the true magic in the performance. It was a second long but it caught everyone off guard. Yuko almost passed out but Yuuri wasn’t focusing on that it was the pure allurement in his eyes that spoke more volumes than Yuuri’s octave in his internal screaming. He tried to focus on the footwork focusing his eyes on the way he moved, it was all teasing but subtle nothing explicit or risque. It worked though, Yuuri could just feel how Victor wanted him, how he would test how many ways he could use his stamina or make him breathless. His mind went back to the flirty smirk, he’d seen something bordering that before, he couldn’t remember where. When it hit him. The night he arrived, after Yuuri had practically suplexed him into the floor, his playful flirty smirk asking him to sleep with him. Yuuri could feel warmth around his cheeks and ears, he wouldn’t be played by this playboy, he would beat him without resorting to dirty tricks. He was the to-be Head of Hasetsu, he would play his games right and win Victor over in his own way. He shook his head slightly focusing on the routine once more, he needed to memorize it, maybe he wasn’t as fast as Yuri but he’d pick it up evidently. 

 

He noticed the difficulty and nearly collapsed from panic at that moment, could he even skate this, an amaetur compared to Victor? 

 

“Yuuri.” Victor’s voice seemed to be the only thing that could bring him out of his thoughts recently, which pleased and upset Yuuri more than it should had. “How was that?” Victor’s hands were resting on his right hip and left thigh casually awaiting Yuuri’s response. Yuuri moved out on the ice to stand in front of him before taking some time trying to figure out what he wanted to say, before spouting, 

 

“It was very eros!” Victor took it as a compliment.

 

“Right? So, about the program composition.. Which quads can you land?”

 

“The toe loop, and I can land the Salchow in practice, but never in competition. I think I can do it if I try.” He points out at last minute hoping Victor didn’t view him weak.

 

“Okay, you can practice the basics. I’ll teach Yurio first.” He decides before continuing, “I won’t teach you anything you can’t do right now.” Victor says confident in his decision, Yuuri could practically feel the smug smirk coming off of Yuri behind him. “How many times have you messed up during a competition? You have the skill to win. Why can’t you make it happen?” Yuuri was about to answer, his mind replaying like a record his terrible performances over the last five years, how he could feel the chill of the ice over his toes even with the thick socks he was wearing.

 

“I lack confidence.” He decides to answer with.

 

“Right. My job is to make you feel confident in yourself.” 

 

“ _ In my decisions. _ ” It was unspoken but the thought was on both of their minds as Victor glided forward taking his chin in his right hand his thumb caressing his bottom lip gently, a soft sound escaping him as Victor grew closer, his nose just barely touching Yuuri’s glasses. His eyes held warmth and softness, with something Yuuri could only call determination, in them. And they were only focused on something below his nose, not his eyes. When he spoke it was barely a whisper, only something for their ears. 

 

“No one in the whole wide world knows your true eros, Yuuri. It may be an alluring side of you that you yourself are unaware of. Can you show me what it is soon?” Yuuri shook not really knowing what Victor was talking about, but he understood that Victor wasn’t just dangerous with weapons, he was dangerous with words. Someone should cut this devil’s tongue out to not be tempted by his whispers and promises. But Yuuri couldn’t have himself think of that, for he would terribly miss this man’s words of trust as well. He wanted to say something, do something to show his “true eros”, since they were so close maybe he could just lean a bit further in and make up for the other night-

 

“Hey, Victor! Aren’t you teaching me first?!” Yelled Yuri demanding. Victor was still holding onto his chin, his thumb still on his bottom lip before turning to face Yuri, the hand disappearing leaving Yuuri heaving for air. 

 

“Right. So Yuuri. Think long and hard about what eros is to you.” He says smoothly before going to Yuri and start instructing him.

 

Yuuri got off the ice overthinking everything, “ _ What eros is to me? What would that be? _ ” Instead of watching them practice he went to stretch Nishigori coming up to help. Since he was a close friend he explained his problem.

 

“Huh? You have to do basic training for half a day because you don’t get “eros”?” Yuuri just hummed a positive tone as he released his muscles in his lower back sitting up. “You should had just made something up.” Nishigori says turning him to the right to stretch then to the left. “I bet Victor hasn’t thought much about it, either.”

 

“Victor’s a genius, so he can get away with that.” He says almost sarcastically and bitter, “I could see a story in the program, too.” He says as he reached out grabbing the arches of his feet and putting his nose between his knees. Yuuri stood up leading Nishigori to a seat as he displayed the story. 

 

“A playboy comes to a certain town, he’s dangerous, untouchable. Not standoffish but definitely someone who is calculating. He bewitches the women left and right. But he ignores them and sets his sight on someone as dangerous and bewitching. He decides to pursue the most beautiful woman in town, but she isn’t swayed. At first. Then, as they play the game of love, dancing, whispering, and touching innocently. She finds it difficult to make the right choices and ends up falling for him. They are feared through the land for the few short moments they are together, the most dangerous couple in the town. They complement and tease each other, both passionate in everything they do together. Then one day, he casts her aside, as though he’s tired of her, and goes off to the next town.” Yuuri finishes motioning pushing someone aside.

 

Nishigori didn’t hesitate to mock an audience, ““Wow! So Hot! Take me now!” He declared smiling a bit, “That doesn’t really sound like you though, Yuuri.” 

 

“Right? I bet people will say they’d rather prefer to see Victor skate the program.” Yuuri says getting off the bench and sitting across from Nishigori.

 

“But then again, you looked pretty hot in the video when you copied his program. And-”

 

“Well, I can’t copy him.” Yuuri interrupts, “I’ll never surpass him by doing that.” 

 

“Wait, you seriously think you can be better someday?” When Yuuri began to backtrack and get flustered Nishigori grinned, “I mean, how can someone as inexperienced in dating as you beat the hottest bachelor in the world?” Laughing before getting serious, “But what I was going to say before was, when you’re apart of the gang, you take on this look. And I’d say that’s pretty sexy, so instead of copying him, why don’t you just do that?” Yuuri listened thinking it over, but not sure if that would work.

 

After a few hours or just basic training, Victor approached him, with Yuri held almost by the ear. Yuuri also noticed how Victor was standing, tense, prepared to attack if need be, one hand on Yuri the other on his hip, right above the hidden knife. Was Yuri misbehaving causing Victor to be concerned when they were close? Victor mentioned the temple wondering if Yuri could go to experience tranquility. Yuuri nearly laughed out loud about to tell him that the only tranquility there was death, but swallowed it and nodded warning the guards to treat them like tourists. Yuuri was half tempted to go but decided against it, it seemed Yuri needed some more space after what happened earlier. He just waved them farewell and went back to training not wanting to get behind. 

 

Before dinner, Victor and Yuri returned, Yuri seeming more sore and uncomfortable. Victor was calmer to the point that he let Yuri and Yuuri bathe together as he finished up a call before joining in the hot springs. He must had trusted him a bit more not to kill Yuuri but then again Yuuri could probably gut the kid like a fish, even if he didn’t wish to. Yuuri soaked in the water next to the younger male, both relishing in the heat of the spring on their sore muscles, looking over at Yuri, Yuuri could tell he was ready to die for skating and his Brotherhood.

 

“ _ Damn it. I’m an adult male of twenty-three. I could totally show mature sexiness if I wanted to.”  _ Seeing Victor walk out of the build made Yuuri look up, curious to why he didn’t arm himself, and not mentioning the fact that he had a full access view to his body. Victor greeted them holding his phone, it’s case had a custom design to resemble his costume from Stay Close to Me, the free skate that won his performance last year. Yuuri held back a chuckle, who knew the hitman and celebrity was such a dork.

 

“Take a photo of me in the bath, so I can post it online.” He says grinning. 

 

“Sorry, but we don’t let people take photos in the bath.” Yuuri spoke up as Victor replied with a confused look. 

 

“And don’t forget your tattoos, if anyone gets wind of the Bratva on you, Yakov will kill you. And that isn’t an expression.” Yuri pointed out growling a bit at how stupid Victor was acting. After that nothing much happened, they all settled into the bath, the silence was filled with the sounds of water and deep breathing from the steam made it hard against the cold air. 

 

They sat together at a table in the main dining room, Yuuri so tired that he laid his head on the table just hoping that Eros would come to him and gift him the way to win the program. He didn’t pay attention to Yuri, who was sitting next to him, and Victor who was chatting away.

 

“ _ It’s no good. From a physical standpoint, I’m not even close to eros.” _ He thought his half eaten bowl of vegetables and noodles going lukewarm as he thought. “ _ It’s what causes you to lose the ability to make normal decisions. For me, what causes me to lose that ability is..” _ He trailed off in thought, almost falling asleep as he listed guilty pleasures in his mind. When a item struck him with determination. He sat up exclaiming, not realizing he spoke out loud what that thing was. 

 

“Pork Cutlet Bowls! That’s what eros is to me!” His statement was met with silence, he began to apologizing, for how stupid did they think he was now. Really? Pork cutlet bowls? As Sexy?

 

“Okay, let’s go with that.” Victor says gently seeing Yuuri was on the verge of panic. Yuri was smirking hiding a laugh into the table. “It’s nice and unique.” He replied. 

 

Yuuri wasted no time immediately leaving the table and switching into his sweats to go out on a run, Makkachin following with a bark, glad to be running with his new friend. 

 

“ _ I’m so embarrassed! They totally think my ideas are way too immature!” _ Instead of the normal routine of going to the ice rink or the ballet studio, he went to the temple. He took a breath his eyes focusing on one thing as he entered. He needed to make this mistake of an interpretation of eros into actual eros. To do that he was actually taking Nishigori’s word.

 

He made sure the guards would play with Makkachin and keep him busy as he went farther in the temple, still dressed in his running sweats he arrived to a colder hallway. Opening the only door at the end of it, he entered the training faculty. Weapons were held up among the walls above the full tables and along the corners where the extra supplies were stored. He moved to the area that held guns and looked them over deciding. A few guards stood in the room after he had entered, always there to protect the heir if needed. He looked over the normal models humming to himself in thought, picking up a few before disliking them and moved to the more fashionable ones. He looked through them before finally choosing a CZ-75 B, a sleek handgun with engravings along the frame and barrel. It was a steel color mainly but the handle was a rich brown the floral design engraved into it as well to continue the look. It was an accurate gun, with how the shape would collect the force of the shock in the side rather than the frame. He looked it over once more with a small sound of agreement, before grabbing a magazine and loading it. He smirked a bit as he heard the guards stand a bit taller, more aware. He looked over to them curious, 

 

“Afraid I’ll shoot you?” He asks, the guard closest to him looking frightened, well he guessed he deserved that for how word got around in the gang that he was becoming more like the family, after seeing him covered in blood from the last mistake. He moved to the shooting range just a few feet away and cleared his throat as he lifted the gun up in his hands. He looked at the target in the distance before taking a moment to remove his glasses. Even if it was more difficult to see the target, he knew he wouldn’t be allowed to skate with them, so if he wanted to make an impression he would start now. He turned the safety off lifting his chin up a bit to see over the barrel. As he exhaled he pulled the trigger, then just like on the ice, the bullet seemed to feel like it was in slow motion. Yuuri’s hands were steady accepting the shock with ease of years of practice, his biceps holding the posture easily, after all holding one’s arms up for hours came from ballet. He shot a few more, relishing in the sound of the shot, it was so clean. The bullet scraping against the inside of the barrel with a soft scratch before the exciting and dramatic entrance of shooting itself into the world. One of Yuuri’s guilty pleasures was always training, for during the five years in college he was unable to train as extensively as before. Unloading the magazine, he sat it down and out on his glass, before summoning the target. It was a mock person, a silhouette, with nineteen clean shots through the head, some straying from the middle of the forehead, but overall deadly accuracy. 

 

Pleased he unclipped the target to set up a clean one, not realizing how relaxed he was now. Perhaps he could do eros in a more deadlier way? But then again eros wasn’t deadly it was passionate. He sighed and put the weapon away in the right places, nodding to the guards on his way out. It was stupid to think this would make up for his exclamation earlier. Perhaps he’d just have to live with it for now. As he was leaving he passed by an exercise room. Where they would spar and practice hand to hand combat. Stopping for a moment he looked at it, maybe Victor would be interested in showing him some Russian styled combat in return for Yuuri to teach him some Japanese style. It all depended if he won this little competition against Yuri. He left the temple, calling for Makkachin on the way, he needed to get some rest for the next day. 

 

Yuuri grinned as he pulled on his skates, he was finally able to get on the ice, while Yuri did some exercises on his own. Getting on the ice he went through the routine, Victor yelling out things that would try and have his “eros” show more, but overall it sounded silly with how he was listing ingredients mixing together and apropos. Then once he was done, Yuri was called onto the ice, letting Yuuri watch in amazement. Throughout the day they would switch back and forth, Yuuri then Yuri, each practising and showing their themes to Victor as he coached them. That week they were training on and off the ice. Yuri even joined Yuuri at the gym trying to out beat him as fast as he could. It seemed better now after they had spent time together, no one trying to murder another mainly, it even made Victor happy seeing their competitive sides.

 

One day Victor suggested a waterfall, which made Yuri complain the whole way there, but Yuuri understood that Victor was just trying to calm the kid down. Have him get a taste of the culture at the same time as well.

 

“I’m gonna kill him.” Yuri muttered as the cold water ran smoothly over their shoulders and backs.

 

“Good luck trying. He’s already stopped you once.” Yuuri points out playfully before sighing, “Why me, too?”

 

Yuri ignored the comment and plowed through, “Who cares? Damn it. Who cares about agape? Forget all of them.” He muttered before closing his eyes. Yuuri watched concerned, he had a feeling he wasn’t suppose to hear that, but he guessed it made sense, for he probably had troubles too, if he was in the Brotherhood with Victor. Yuuri looked down at him the sheer robes they wore did nothing for the cold water. He could see a tiger on Yuri’s chest, it was grinning and quite large, he had his own set of stars as well, but not just on his shoulders but his knees. Knowing a bit about the Bratva culture, he knew that meant he wouldn’t kneel for anyone, and the oskal, the tiger, meant he defied authority, mainly police. He had small barely visible dots on his knuckles. He must had been sent to a different prison then Victor, but Yuuri supposed the dots were better to hide than the bands, rings or shackles that others had tattooed to show their time in prison. “ _ Wonder what he would have been like if he never went prison or got into this mess. He would have still been a skater though. No denying that. _ ” He couldn’t help but think. Soon it was getting too much to handle and pulled him out of the water. 

 

“Hey Yurio. Are you okay? Let’s call it a day.” Yuuri asks seeing the dazed look on the younger man’s face.

 

Distracted he replied, “Oh...Okay.” Yuuri was startled by how calm and peaceful he looked, maybe Victor’s influence in the culture helped? Maybe he found his Agape. Yuri sneezed quietly before they headed back to Yu-topia Akatsuki. “Ugh, Where’s Victor anyway?”

 

“He went to eat at Nagaham Ramen, I guess.” Yuuri answered lamely, even though he knew that’s exactly where he was from the many members around the town.

 

“What? Then we’re going too!” The old Yuri was back, Yuuri refused and headed to bed, hearing Yuri do the same. 

 

That morning Yuuri and Yuri got to the rink on time, already prepped and ready to train. But Victor was nowhere to be seen. Yuuri hadn’t gotten any bad words about him so he assumed he was still asleep.

 

“They say he was drinking till dawn.” Yuri spoke up standing, Yuuri remembered a few people telling him about that. Once Yuri was standing a thought popped into Yuuri’s mind standing as well to get his attention. 

 

“Yurio, please teach me how to land a quad Salchow.” Yuuri asked politely meeting the Russian’s eyes. It took a moment or two, as if he was thinking to decline, he said nothing and just walked into the rink expecting Yuuri to follow.

 

“You suck! Hey, Pork Cutlet Bowl. Watch me do it one more time!” Yuri demanded with a frown, about to start skating when the doors to the rink opened. 

 

“Sorry I’m late! What were you practicing just now?” Victor asked looking like he woke up on the wrong side of the bed, his hair still a mess and dark circles under his eyes.

 

Yuri and Yuuri didn’t meet eyes just immediately went different directions both claiming something about practice. Yuuri stood next to Victor as they watched Yuri skate. 

 

“Looks like Yurio found his Agape. Maybe he’s ready for the next stage.” Victor commented watching thoughtfully. 

 

“ _ Next Stage? Does that mean I have a next stage, once I perform my eros?” _ Yuuri thought before getting on the ice and doing his performance. “ _ I still haven’t found it yet, though. I still lack what would serve as the backbone this program needs. I haven’t found anything better than the pork cutlet bowl. _ ” He thought as he skated. Once it got late enough they went back to the Hot Spring where Minako was waiting to talk with them, since the competition was the next day.

 

“So what will you do for a costume tomorrow?”

 

“Oh, I totally forgot.” Yuuri commented just realizing how close the week was ending.

 

“I didn’t bring anything either.” Yuri says as Victor chugged a beer down half way, pleasantly buzzed as he answered with,

 

“That’s taken care of. I had them send all the costumes I’ve ever worn in competition from Russia.” Later that day Yuri and Yuuri were left on their own to browse the selection, Yuuri eagerly picking up almost everything, having memorized each performance they were from.

 

“This is from the Junior World Championship!” Yuuri grinned holding up a certain piece with a half skirt on it. 

 

“I had long hair at the time, so my costume suggested both male and female genders at once.” Victor said almost sadly. Yuuri put the costume in his lap a bit as he looked up at his coach, he knew that look. When you’ve lost something precious of yours, just to keep others safe. The Bratva had taken Victor’s long hair. There had been some curious questions as a kid when suddenly his idol no longer bore long locks, but nothing really bothered by it just thinking it was a personal change. Now it made sense. The Bratva didn’t approve, or Victor messed up somehow and lost his most treasured possession. 

 

“I choose this one.” Yuuri replied a determined look on his face. He would not let Victor lose anything else to the Brotherhood. He would show that Victor was gone and now he was  _ his _ . 

 

That night almost the next day Yuuri went to Minako’s home, hearing her from inside complaining about the time and who it would be.

 

“You want to practice in my studio this late at night?”

 

“Minako, I need you to teach me something.” He needed to be the woman in the story. He couldn’t be the playboy, it wasn’t him, and it was too hard to force himself into being the Head of Hasetsu on the ice; where it was innocent and pure, nothing evil to touch it. They spent the rest of the night practicing, showing how to move his hips or his hands, small things but they made a difference, Yuuri could tell just in the mirror how he appeared far more appealing now.

 

It was almost time for Yuri’s performance and Yuuri could hear the hushed crowd out beyond the door. The whole town must had come, or at least the people of Hasetsu and a few towns and cities around them. Yuuri was just glad that there were no reporters, he never knew what to say and always blacked out his mouth running without his brain there. It was embarrassing and he didn’t want to deal with that before the competition. He closed his eyes stretching as they waited. Yuuri didn’t hear the commotion of Yuri with Yuko but once Yuri was on the ice, he watched from the room’s doorway holding the curtain close.

 

It was beautiful, it didn’t look anything like when Victor skated it, but the moves were all the same. Yuuri watched amazed as Yuri caught everyone’s attention refusing to let it go. He was pure, angelic even, with how his gaze followed the audience briefly but remained focused on his hands as if he was always holding something precious. Each movement made it seem like he was dancing on a lake of silver rather than the cold ice. It seemed to flow and move waves forming out from his skates. Yuuri was so amazed that he could barely breathe. Then things took a turn for the worst. He didn’t fall physically but mentally, it wasn’t as graceful feeling or smooth, it was the Russian punk fighting and spitting at each delicate move. Yuuri wasn’t sure why there was a change but he did know it was a subtle difference, the audience wouldn’t know but the skaters would. They would see the small tension in the shoulders, the gritted teeth making their jaw come forward just a bit. Yuri was getting irritated. Luckily it was towards the end of the program, but the damage was already done. 

 

Yuuri could tell when he finally rose his clasped hands to the ceiling as if praying that he did better than anything, but it was no innocence in it, just greed. It broke Yuuri’s heart. He didn’t hear Victor yell out praise to Yuri or commands, all he could hear was static.. Because he was next. His heart beat started to pound in his ears, rattling him to the core. Looking down at his feet he could just see them sway in anxious rhythm to his heart. He could feel the prickling of tears behind his eyes, in the cold rink he felt too hot. He could only feel the chill up the back of his calves as his fingers and toes felt like pins and needles, cold to the touch. He couldn’t breathe the edges of his vision turning black in a panic. His ears burning with his increasing heart rate.  _ I want to win! I want to win! I want to win! I won’t win. _ Chanted in his mind making him wish he never agreed to this. He should had just said no, just retired like he had pla-

 

“Yuuri.” The ringing stopped and he blinked seeing the front of a designer coat with a emerald green scarf stuffed into it. “It’s your turn.” Yuuri did a too quick intake of air, nearly coughing out in pain as his lung screamed. Victor just smiled as Yuuri covered his mouth with his frozen hands, his fingertips buzzing in pain as he couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think. He tried to breathe deeply to get himself to stabilize, but his voice came out shaking. 

 

“I’m...I’m going to become a super tasty pork cutlet bowl, so please watch me.” He didn’t expect to confess, to let Victor know he cared, to let him know he wanted his opinion, but having a panic attack did that, messed with your head and feelings. Letting your mouth say things you shouldn’t, or didn’t want to. Or let his body do things; such as reach out and hug the man who was a famous skater and hitman close to him. “Promise!” 

 

There was no hesitation. “Of course. I love pork cutlet bowls.” “ _ Did… Did he just say that? _ ” Yuuri ignored it as he removed his jacket needing to get on the ice now, or he wouldn’t be allowed to compete. Skating around for the audience he could hear the announcer, but didn’t pay it any mind, he had an audience to charm.

 

He got in position and closed his eyes, the images of fighting popping up into his mind. He could feel his heartbeat slow to a calm level as the music’s first chords played.

 

“ _ Who am I dancing for? I know who. _ ” He thought as he started the seductive opening, looking at everyone but Victor until the guitar’s crescendo rang out. His mind going to when he smirked at the guards, oh how they fidgeted. He made the same smirk in Victor’s general direction, hearing a appreciated whistle through the music. Chuckling he began the program. As he was halfway into his step sequence he could hear the announcer claim how seductive it was, it almost made him laugh and ruin the program. 

 

“It’s hard to believe that he’s imagining a pork cutlet bowl!” The announcer claimed, making Yuuri smirk even more. Maybe keeping the joke was a good idea, let them underestimate him and then use that against them. As he moved towards his first quad he kept a level head, thinking only of that one person he was dancing for, and how they would break him down piece by piece until he fell for them, just like the beautiful woman in the story. When he stepped out of the Salchow, he paid it no mind at the moment, though he knew it would hit him hard later of how he messed up.

 

“ _ Don’t panic. A mistake like this isn’t enough to make me lose my charms. I’m better than any woman out there.”  _ He could feel the eyes of the gang members and put more flare into the lunge than necessary, making it look a bit too risque with how he bared his neck to audience. Almost like he was begging for someone to bite him, to mark him as their own. But as he moved into the quadruple toe loop it looked like a trick showing dominance over the entire audience. “ _ You ask why? _ ” He moved from the two toe loops into a spin, his form perfect as he began to lose breath. Luckily it was towards the end, he threw the lover away and posed in a stance that showed he was ready for the next player to come along and try to sway him. His left toe dug into the ice with his arms wrapped around himself in a possessive manner, a warning to everyone watching. He may be charming and seductive but he would not be compliant. Breathing hard as the applause began he looked around the audience surprised to hear people shouting “Welcome back”s to him. Smiling politely he waved to them trying not to show the burn in his legs and lungs from the difficult program.

 

“Yuuri!” Victor was at the edge of the rink surrounded by journalists and media. He skated over with a small smile, Victor reached out hugging him like he had before in his moment of weakness. “That was the tastiest pork cutlet bowl I’ve ever seen!” Yuuri thanked him quietly in the hug, unable to give one back with how Victor was holding him. “But can I say something?” He asks suddenly serious. It made Yuuri’s ice run cold, Victor held the look of The Hitman.

 

“Sure..” He muttered nervous, right after Victor went on to scolding him for everything he did wrong, even including the Salchow practice with Yuri. Unable to comprehend it just nodded along letting Victor pull his jacket onto his body

 

Yuri was nowhere to be seen, though Yuko did mention he was going back to Russia. It concerned Yuuri a bit but he couldn’t focus on it right then. Standing up on the podium with Victor made it too real, he couldn’t do much but stand there and watch, not sure what else to do. Even answering questions was impossible, how was he suppose to show his appreciation for winning when he wasn’t sure what he did differently for eros. Then he felt a warm hand slide across his back and land on his right bicep squeezing it gently, letting him know he wasn’t alone. 

 

“I’m going to try and win the next Grand Prix Final with Victor! Thank you for your continued support!” Everyone cheered, and Yuuri knew the gang members cheered a bit louder, they always did when supporting his career in ice skating.  _ “The battle for my very last figure skating season has begun. Perhaps I can hit being Head in that schedule as well.” _ He thought before getting off the podium with Victor still holding onto his arm.


	4. Et puis l’autre fille tu lui en as parlé ?

A month Victor served as Yuuri’s coach, for an entire month Yuuri had been practicing, training, and getting to know Victor as his coach. He also got to see his darker, hitman side, only when dealing with gang activity. While he was training for the competitions, gang activity and people seeking out ways to injure the family kept to their plans.  Victor was somewhat an addiction to the Yakuza, even if it was temporary, they didn’t want him alone or able to do as he wished whenever he wanted, so the gang members let him sit in on meetings, the formal and personal ones. The only thing he was missing was the sake ritual and he would be a full Yakuza. 

 

The first time Yuuri saw Victor’s hitman persona was when a rather unruly outcast tried to harm one of the triplets, for while Yuko and Nishigori were apart of the gang the triplets were protected as the gang’s children for a while. It was when Victor and Yuuri had finished up one of their many days of training, the triplets had permission from their parents that the two skaters could walk them to the hotspring. They were chattering around them about techniques and how Yuuri could do better, almost coaching him themselves. Victor would laugh or just smile at how they would describe moves, often referencing him or other skaters, to try and get Yuuri to understand how he should perform.

 

As they chattered and giggled sometimes taking pictures on their walk, Yuuri couldn’t help but feel like someone or something was watching them. And for the small town that was ebbing on falling asleep, it would be a rather large concern. They weren’t far from Yu-topia Akatsuki, but the feeling just got worst for Yuuri. They turned a corner, Loop up front looking at her phone, the bright light disappearing had Yuuri’s concerns turn into alarms. He quickly pulled the remaining two girls back just in case and went around the corner. There stood a man in a hoodie, the hood pulled down enough that it covered his eyes from Yuuri’s view. A butterfly knife held to the young girl’s neck, a small drop of liquid gleaming in the awful lighting from the street light. It was cheap nothing as elegant as Victor’s or as expensive as any of the others in the temple. It was steel, but even from his distance Yuuri could tell the man bought it online, for the grip he held it in was too hard, he could kill Loop in seconds when he meant to just threaten. He was inexperienced, and trying too hard. This was his first time threatening anyone that wasn’t a mirror.

 

“Give me your money and information or else the girl gets it!” The accent was rough, he didn’t speak japanese well, he must had learned just a few phrases meaning he had a recorder on him somewhere. He knew their route but Yuuri would had heard about a punk teenager like this wandering their route, so he was with someone else. The man pressed the blade a bit deeper into the thin skin of her neck, he wasn’t even holding it in the right place to pose a better threat. Yuuri was about to step forward and get her out of his hold when he blinked and suddenly the girls were all holding onto his pants, including Loop. Victor had moved forward his elegant Finka pressed into the correct vein, the teenager had held onto his knife though he didn’t dare move.

 

“We will give you nothing.” Victor spoke in English, the understanding in the teen’s eyes were obvious. He gulped, trying to swallow any fear he had but couldn’t when looking into those icy blue eyes. “You will leave and never bother this family, understand?” Victor let the blade up a bit so he could nod. “But before I let you go, your boss needs to know I mean business.” Victor trailed off on the sentence almost purring. Yuuri could tell that he was going to hurt this man badly. Quickly he knelt to the triplet’s height, 

 

“Victor keep him there for a moment.” Yuuri commanded, he could hear the argument building in the russian, so he met eyes with him and glared. Victor paused and simply nodded keeping his hold on the teenager. Yuuri returned to the triplets, “Loop let me see your neck.” He whispered pushing his glasses up a bit to see the wound, it wasn’t bad but could leave a scar, they were just a few feet away from Yu-topia Akatsuki. Yuuri whistled loudly Makkachin barking in response and leaving the hot spring to go to the command. Seeing an offender in Victor’s grip, he growled lowly, Yuuri called to him snapping him out of it quickly. “Take the girls back safely.” He whispered to the loyal dog. The triplets knew they would be safe with Makkachin, for he was loud and if anything happened more gang members would show in curiosity for the dog howling. Once the girls made it past the threshold of the front garden Yuuri stood up. 

 

“Apologies for the wait.” Yuuri said simply plucking the knife from the teenager’s grip, he began to protest but Victor held the sharp blade closer in his neck. It dug into the thin skin a bit to let a drop of blood run down the blade, across the mysterious characters, down the wood handle to draw trails down Victor’s knuckles to the back of his hand, “As I thought.” He hummed seeing the cheap plastic and how it was never used except for this test. For that’s what it was, to test Yuuri and anyone around him, a rival gang wanted to see what they're up against. “Give me the recorder as well.” He spoke in English so the child could understand without needing a translation. He didn’t move just narrowed his eyes and spat at Yuuri, the spit slapping into the ground at his feet, he rose an eyebrow but Victor didn’t stay silent.

 

“You will give him the recorder or else you won’t make it back alive to your boss.” He whispered, his voice calm. The child still refused, not moving his hands just turning to look at Victor with rebellion in his eyes. He reminded Yuuri of Yuri for a moment. Then Victor did something rash, something Yuuri couldn’t believe his eyes that it happened. Victor pinned the teenager up against the closest wall, and with one hand held the Finka up to his neck keeping him from leaving while the other hand held one of the teenager’s hands in a odd grip, then there was a cracking noise that didn’t sound pleasant at all. Victor quickly cover the teenager’s mouth before he screamed, “You scream, you will die. Understand? Now the recorder.” He demanded a bit more anger slipping into his voice.

 

Finally the teenager caught on that he was serious and fumbled with his freehand to get his phone out. Yuuri held a hand out for it and unlocked it finding the recording, stopping it, then deleting the file. “I’m keeping this while we move.” He says simply walking away, knowing Victor would follow. That he did, Victor had a rough hold and held the knife up to his neck still. Once inside, Nishigori and Yuko were waiting for them, seeing the teenager their eyes hardened in anger and possessiveness. Yuuri led everyone to the basement the teenager struggling against Victor with each step down, “ _ He was warned about this. _ ” Yuuri thought as he opened the door to the interrogation room. Victor was about to beat the teenager down for being rude but Yuuri merely cleared his throat and shook his head. That made the teenager laugh.

 

“What? Are you that whipped to be stopped like the mutt?” He cackled, Victor looked at Yuuri pleading with his eyes to beat his face in. Yuuri thought for a moment and shook his head motioning a little with his fingers, Victor grinned at that and pounced on his victim. The chair fell back against the cement with a loud crack as Victor pocketed his Finka and started to punch the kid’s face. He began to have bruises turn into open wounds. Again Yuuri cleared his throat, for that was enough. Victor swiftly got up looking happier that he was able to beat up the offender. Yuuri motioned for them to leave, switching places with Yuko and Nishigori.

 

Yuuri left the phone on the counter outside the room. Just in case Nishigori wanted to get it checked out. Victor followed Yuuri up the stairs once more, seeing the triplets waiting for them in the main dining, Yuuri sent Victor off to clean the blood off his hands, he checked on Loop in better light before letting the girls know they were safe, no one would bother them again. When Victor returned they began to gossip to him about the knife and how they had a feeling he was apart of the Bratva. Yuuri just chuckled and relaxed, he knew everything would be fine. It was almost like a breath of fresh air around the gang having the knowledge that Victor would protect them if attacked. Though Yuuri thought it was only those Victor cared for.

 

A few weeks later, Yuuri was still in training with Victor, trying his best to perfect every small detail of the program, he needed to win. Waking up to the feeling of his phone vibrating, he looked at the time, his eyes not focusing from still being half asleep. Then realizing he was late to practice he got up and quickly got dressed running off to the ice rink. 

 

“Sorry! I overslept!” Yuuri called to Victor from the doors of the rink, afraid he messed up so badly that Victor would leave Japan. Victor was standing with his back to Yuuri looking almost lost in thought. Suddenly he turned around, Yuuri half expected the cold look of the hitman. 

 

“Good Morning Yuuri! Only Aeroflot has kept me waiting for as long as you have.” He smirked, teasing, it was hard to believe this was the same man that almost broke a teenager’s hand. Yuuri immediately went to begging for forgiveness, apologizing for being late to keep him there. “Resting is a part of work, too.” Victor points out smiling, loving that he could tease Yuuri so easily. 

 

With a soft grunt, Yuuri got up and started to warm up with Victor, moving from exercises to practicing the program. As they practiced Yuuri couldn’t help but think of how he wasn’t really feeling eros, of course he got the story and the character down, but he could feel the eros running through him to show the audience. Victor claimed he was doing it perfectly but, deep down Yuuri knew it wasn’t enough. Yuuri went into position to do a Salchow but in the last second his skate slipped out from under him and he rolled onto the hard ice with a huff.

 

“Yuuri, you tend to flub your jumps when something is on your mind.” Victor called out with a smirk almost as if he knew Yuuri was absorbed in his own thoughts again, seeing that Victor had spent the entire month at Yuuri’s side, he guessed it was possible. As soon as training was over, the skies were already turned a beautiful violet color edging on the dark blues and blacks of the night sky. Yuuri sighed his breath creating a warm cloud of fog, Victor was quiet on their walk, unlike normal where he was be chattering away about anything he saw. Yuuri wondered what it was, but also was a bit nervous to know.

 

As soon as they got to Yu-topia Akatsuki they went to the baths so that Yuuri could relax the tense muscles from training so hard.

 

“Yuuri, maybe we should nix having three quads in your free program.” Victor spoke suddenly, confusing Yuuri along the way. 

 

“But, if I want to win the Grand Prix Final, I need those.” Yuuri argued.

 

“Why? Even if there’s only one quad, just get a perfect score on the program components.” Times like these left Yuuri to wonder why Victor didn’t think of coaching before but then again, he knew he was inexperienced.

 

“ _ At any rate, this isn’t good enough. _ ” Yuuri thought sighing he knew it wouldn’t work out, even with how hard he was working. “ _ I have to change. _ ” 

 

“Yuuri do you know why I decided to become your coach?” The question caught Yuuri off guard. Especially when Victor grabbed both of his wrist looking as if he was about to propose something to Yuuri. “I was drawn to you because of the music.” His voice was sultry and quiet as if this was a secret that only Yuuri could hear. “The way you skate, like your body is creating music.” He was kneeling in front of him, not in the hot water but out in the cold air. He looked down at Yuuri, those ocean eyes capturing him once more. “I want to create a high-difficulty to maximize that.” He paused for dramatics, “Only I can do that. That’s the gut feeling I had.” He whispered their faces getting close again, to the point that Yuuri could feel his torso was becoming cold from the cold air hitting the moisture from the water. Though that wasn’t the only thing giving him goosebumps. 

 

Victor pulled Yuuri out of the water completely with a shock to the temperature. “And the short program validated it. Perhaps you should produce your next free program.” It was smoother than the water dripping off of the rocks of the springs with how fast Victor moved turning Yuuri around so he was facing Victor while his hands with held together with one of Victor’s own. He was caught. 

 

“But my coach has always chosen my music-” He was interrupted by Victor pressing his body closer and gripping his wrists tighter to the point it started to hurt.

 

“Isn’t it more fun to do it yourself?”

 

Yuuri was getting irritated at the pain in his wrists. “But my previous coach-”

 

“Who was your coach again?” Victor smirked, before that was wiped off his face, Yuuri crouched down to switch his weight, breaking free of the grip to pin Victor against one of the rocks, his chest pressed against the surface while Yuuri twisted one of his arms back so it would almost touch his shoulder, it was painful but did the job he needed. Yuuri heard a soft gasp, looking over and seeing a group of gang members from the washing room watching them. He quickly let him go trying not to look embarrassed. 

 

Afterwards Victor decided to call Celestino, insisting to ask why Yuuri never picked his own music. Having him explain about the one piece that Yuuri did bring up to him.

 

It was when Yuuri was still in Detroit, still studying with Phichit as his dorm and rink mate, it was a few months after he had gotten his tattoo. He was in a depression at the time, his studies were falling behind just a bit not enough to send him home but enough to get his worries and concerns up. The Yakuza was asking for his return and when he would officially claim the Head of Hasetsu, like it was a job offer.It was enough that it was showing his stress in his skating. Then Celestino suggested something to get his mind off of everything. To pick his own music for his free skate programs, at first Yuuri wanted to scream claiming that was just more work he couldn’t add into his life, but he accepted it with a simple nod before leaving to go on a run.

 

After the call with Celestino ended Victor asked to see the piece, which Yuuri provided, but it wasn’t a great response, with “You should think of other possibilities.” It became Yuuri’s goal that week. To finish choreographing the Free skate and to find a piece of music to go with it. He listened to music every chance he got, on runs, before going to sleep, during practice, while eating, and finally when he was getting ready before meetings with the Yakuza. Nothing was standing out, as he was looking down his list of options, he pulled out his phone looking over Instagram. Seeing Phichit made him smile a bit, seemed like his good friend was back home in Thailand, practicing there rather than Detroit. Hesitating Yuuri began to face time Phichit.

 

Happy to talk to one of his closest friends and catch up with him, let some of the stress of finding the perfect piece. 

 

“Hey, Phichit, do you remember how I had a music demo made?”

 

“Oh yeah, by the conservatory student? You asked her to compose it, right?” In the end it got shelved and made Yuuri feel ten times worse, for she had worked so hard, even with her midterms going on. She brushed it off like it was nothing, but Yuuri still felt like she disliked him a bit after that, for the deadline was back breaking.  “I’ll put out feelers to see where she is.” He suggested, “I’m sure she’s not mad or anything.” Yuuri doubted that highly but let him do as he needed. 

 

Instead of listening to different pieces through his days he changed to listen to her old piece after emailing her and asking if they could change it a bit. The piece originally was to represent his ice skating career, and at the time he didn’t notice it but it did, he wasn’t confident, he didn’t put trust into any of his decisions, he was just floating along to the music.

 

“ _ She did capture it pretty well. My underwhelming life in competitive skating. _ ” Yuuri thought one rainy day as he jogged to the ice rink.

 

That day Victor and Yuuri were training harder than ever, but the piece was irritating Yuuri with how he couldn’t just pick one, since he wasn’t sure if he could wait for his friend, if he could call her that.

 

“Why can’t you just trash your own decisions? Just try to remember something, like when a girlfriend loved you.” It hit in right between his shoulder blades, his tiredness and anger at himself reared it’s ugly head, he looked up at him with cold eyes. 

 

“What?” He growled, not believing Victor thought it was that easy. Realizing he snapped, Yuuri quickly began to apologize, not meaning to blow up like that. He tried to explain himself but Victor interrupted.

 

“That’s right, you never had a girlfriend, a lover.” That hit straight home, making Yuuri look away and go back to skating without another word. 

 

For the next few days, Victor tried to get him to go somewhere while Yuuri refused each time, still embarrassed about the snap.

 

With a groan Yuuri laid in bed, hating how guilty he felt about the song when Victor barged in, looking murderous.

 

“Good morning Yuuri, let’s go to the ocean.” Yuuri hesitated seeing the raging fire in his eyes, so he just nodded and got up getting ready once Victor left to do the same. They spent some time walking along the shore, Makkachin gladly barking and playing fetch with them, it was somewhat peaceful. It got Yuuri thinking, to where he stopped, Victor looking back at him confused.

 

Yuuri offered something different, knowing Victor would be curious to how vague he was he being. The two went to the temple, Victor frowned a bit about to protest that he should be resting a bit, but quieted down as he noticed they were passing by the tourist areas and were met with guards who nodded to Yuuri with respect. He led Victor into a changing room where he dug through some folded clothes before passing a pair of dull green pants to him, they matched the robes that the Hot Spring had. Yuuri opened a locker for Victor before opening his own and pulling out a pair of black pants, similar to Victor’s. Without a word, Yuuri got dressed in the pants and just that, his tattoo in full view. He placed his clothes and glasses in the locker smoothing his hair back with just his hand before turning to leave. He didn’t check if Victor was changing or following, but he could feel his eyes on him.

 

He went to a joined door, sliding it open to reveal a real dojo. The dark flooring and wood beams were warmed from the sun through the brick from above and below of the temple. Stepping out into the room, just like before in the range, guards stepped in going to the opposite corners to watch and make sure he wouldn’t get hurt. He shook his head but they stayed, with a sigh he began to stretch, sitting on the floor, his back to the changing room. Victor came into his view and sat across from him beginning to stretch as well. 

 

“Yuuri? What are we doing?” He asks curious, his own tattoos out as well. Yuuri couldn’t help but look over them, after all Victor’s line of sight wasn’t with Yuuri’s eyes but to his arm. 

 

“We’re sparring.” He says simply, “Exchange combat styles.”

 

“But I’m not allowed in this part.” Victor whispered looking over to the guards, so it seemed Victor was sometimes smarter than he acted, which wasn’t surprising. 

 

“You’re practically a part of the Yakuza.” Yuuri states reaching to his right foot, “All you need is the sake ceremony, and I have a feeling Mother already did that secretly at the last meeting.” He points out, “I’m not too concerned about you contacting the Bratva since we’ve allowed you contact, and every time someone in Russia calls you, you get rather upset. Not to mention what happened with the Triplets and at the Ice rink with Yurio, you haven’t shown any means necessary of betraying our trust.” He replied his eyes closed as he spoke. There was silence for a good amount of time. Yuuri paused and opened his eyes seeing a stunned Victor sitting there mid stretch. Before he combusted into excited energy,

 

“Does that mean I can get a cool tattoo like yours!?” He yelled bouncing on his knees, it made Yuuri a little too hard, “I have room for a sleeve and you could even pick it out for me!” He grinned, Yuuri could see the guards at the corners of the room trying to hide their snickers. It was good to have that kind of excitement in a dead place like this. After they stretched for a while, Yuuri stood, the guards tightening their stances, as he got to his side of the mat, with his hands to his sides he had an expressionless look on his face as his eyes never left Victor as he bowed, copying Yuuri, Victor did the same. There was a word from one of the guards and Yuuri stood up straight in position. Victor stood up as well not sure what to expect so keeping on guard.

 

Yuuri attacked first, with much more speed then he left on, hitting Victor in a series of places to block off his nerves before flipping him to the ground backing away and bowing. Victor laid there in shock before slowly getting up, Yuuri lightly tapped a spot under his ribs and all the pressure Yuuri put on him disappeared in an instance, it was surprising to say the least. Victor got up and bowed to him again, resetting for the next match, Yuuri knew he had a taste and would be able to figure it out. As the match began Victor spoke,

 

“Yuuri, you’re not weak.” He says catching Yuuri off guard and moving swiftly into dropping him to the floor, except instead of letting him drop to the floor roughly, he kept his hold on him setting him onto the ground gently. “No one else thinks that either.” It reminded him of the story he told Victor on the beach, about the girl who tried to comfort him but he pushed her, not use to be treated like a weakling, for ever since he was born he was taught how to stand up, fight, and not be used. Victor let go and they resumed the sparring, the guards stopped from beginning and ending the matches, since the two had taken to just practicing and avoiding blows. 

 

“What do you want me to be to you? A father figure?” Victor asked avoiding a close punch to the left side of his face, Yuuri’s knuckle just barely brushing against his ear.

 

“No.” Yuuri replied backing away a bit to set up the next bout of moves. The guards realized what was going on and left the room to the changing room, closing the door to be in the area but not intruding. 

 

“A brother, then? A friend?” Victor asked suddenly in front of Yuuri to catch the back of his right heel with his foot letting him fall to the floor and Victor fall on top of him as he smirked. “Then your boyfriend, I guess?” He whispered smirking, ”I can try my best.” He was playing with him just like before, except this time, he didn’t run away as fast. Yuuri looked up to his face which was only a breath away, 

 

“No. I want you to stay who you are. Victor.” He hesitated before continued, neither one moving. “I’ve always looked up to you. I ignored you because I didn’t want you to see my shortcomings.” That’s when Yuuri sat up forcing Victor to stumble and fall back a bit in surprise,  _ how did he not see that coming? He should had felt the shift in weight or my hands moving to sit up. _ He thought before continuing.

 

“I’ll make it up to you with my skating.” Victor grinned standing up and offering a hand, 

 

“Okay I won’t let you off easy then.” Yuuri took it standing up to meet him face to face, “That’s my way of showing my love.” It startled Yuuri but he knew that he couldn’t lie to himself anymore.

 

“ _ When I open up, he meets me where I am. _ ” 

 

After that day, it was easier to breath, to train, to think, everything felt better. They went on walks to the beach more, sparring at the temple a few times a week if they could, but overall they understood each other better. There wasn’t as much disconnection. 

 

“She’s going to redo the music.” Yuuri spoke to Victor on one of their walks to the rink. Victor smiled replying on a positive note. Yuuri stopped making Victor turn to look at him. “Until she’s done, please teach me all the jumps you can do.” Victor was surprised by that just from his eyes but he agreed.

 

They practiced for hours without a break, Yuuri panted wiping the sweat off his face as Victor leaned over the barrier with a huff of exhaustion, “Victor, please let me do that one more time.” 

 

“Wow..Hasn’t it been tens of thousands of times?” 

 

“Just thirteen.” Yuuri replied as Victor grabbed his own skate to wipe the excess ice off the blade. “I’ve thought this for a while, but you have pretty good stamina.” Yuuri didn’t comment with his thought.

 

“ _ I have that at least. _ ” Victor continued to chatter, while Yuuri couldn’t help but see the tattoo on his neck stand out completely, a hidden thought in his mind wondering how the knife would look bloody, how many times it had been bruised or splattered with blood, from fighting with Victor’s victims or just killing them. Not realizing he reached out and pressed a finger into it tracing the tattooed handle. Victor stilled, startling Yuuri out of his daze. 

 

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to, I couldn’t help it!” He says panicked, when Victor’s hand shot up grabbing the one that had touched him with a smirk getting close to him again, always a breath away with him. 

 

“I’m hurt, I can’t recover from this, that you don’t listen and instead wish to just touch my body.” Yuuri began to panic more, not noticing Nishigori or Yuuko at the other end of the rink. 

 

“No I just-” Victor dissolved to laughter whispering in his ear, “If you wished to touch me so badly, you could just ask.” Making Yuuri blush brightly and try to yell in defense of himself.

 

That night his friend, the one that composed the music for him replied finally. Eager he ran into Victor’s room waking him up from his deep sleep. “Victor, listen.” He jumped up onto the bed nearly missing Makkachin’s tail before putting the headphones into Victor’s ears. “The music for the free skate is done. Awaiting his reply, Yuuri got nervous until Victor nodded with a large smile approving of it, he quietly wrote down an email to his friend thanking her and giving her the good news, letting Victor get his sleep.

 

The next day they got started on finishing the free program. 

 

“If you want more impact, maybe the last jump can be a quadruple toe loop?”

 

“For the last one?” Yuuri asked knowing that would be difficult. Victor turned to look at him with an odd look in his eyes, it was soft but not as warm as the he first arrived. 

 

“With your stamina, I think you can pull it off. You rather not?” He teased making Yuuri protest, 

 

“I’ll do it!” Victor chuckled and nodded turning to take the pad of moves and turn the music on, pausing as he remembered something. 

 

“Did you change the musical theme?” He asks curious, knowing it was something they discussed.

 

Yuuri hesitated before nodding, “The theme is “on my love”.” It was met with silence for a few seconds. 

 

“That’s the best theme.” Victor smiled “Let’s finish this.” He says letting Yuuri onto the ice. 

 

A few nights later, the gang finished up a meeting everyone there still after it finished, the triplets were let into the room and drinks were passed around. “Congratulations!” The triplets smiled the gang members grinning as they spoke of the assignments for Yuuri.

 

“Okay, I’ll explain which events you’ll be completing in.”

 

The triplets were too eager to let him, “Yuuri’s been assigned to the third event, the cup of China!”

 

Loop told the next one, “And his second event will be the sixth event, Russia’s Rostelecom Cup!” Many gang members looked a bit concerned muttering under their breaths about it, they’d have to discuss this another time, about how much protect the two would need there.

 

“I bet if you show up, with Victor as your coach, they’ll think you stole him from the sport.” Nishigori spoke up.

 

“Maybe skating fans worldwide hate you now.” Yuuko added, before quickly including, “Don’t worry we’re on your side. Besides, no one will be allowed to lay a single finger on you.” She says smiling. Victor put an arm up onto Yuuri’s shoulder to make him feel better.

 

“Yeah we are! I’ll come cheer you on this season, too!” Minako grinned holding up a banner, but Yuuri also knew she’d be selling drugs at the same time. They continued to talk about the upcoming home event he’d need to place in and of the skaters there, but Yuuri could only think about time.

 

“ _ It’s already more than six months since December, when I thought I was done for. _ ”

 

“We’ll cheer you on this year too.” His mother grinned.

 

“Good luck!” His father replied, making Yuuri try not to tear up, they always were persistent on him being the Head of Hasetsu, but even now they were supporting him.

 

“ _ Until now, I always thought I was fighting all by myself. But now that Victor’s here everything’s changed. Some things have changed, Some the same. Now everything feels so new. I may never be able to regain what I’ve lost. But I can clearly see what’s in front of me now. This will probably be my last competitive figure skating season, but then I can focus on what my parents want and become the Head of Hasestu. I don’t know how long Victor will stay around or how long my body will hold up. _

 

_ So please, God. Give me Victor’s time, if only just for now. _ ”

 

After practice in finishing the choreography for the free skate, Victor broke Yuuri out of his mind, “Yuuri, you haven’t named the piece, what will it be?” Taking a marker, Yuuri thought for a bit. Before writing the title he thought would suit it.

 

_ Yuuri on Ice. _

  
“ _ September, Victor’s and my season will finally begin.” _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, so if you guys didn't see the comment, I want to really badly try and post a chapter each week but life got the best of me and is slowly eating my soul away. So. I will try to upload one chapter every two weeks. And perhaps it will go back to one chapter a week. Just right now, it is going to kill me if I push myself to do it each week. 
> 
> Oh, also I don't think you guys would want to send questions but if you do. I have a tumblr. Any ideas or comments you'd like to send in anon to me about it is fine. Have a lovely day, and know I love you all.
> 
> Tumblr: idlecursive


	5. Et au petit aussi, enfin si vous en avez

It was finally the day of the Chugoku, Shikoku, and Kyushu Championship, Yuuri looked at the other contenders noting he was the oldest. Oh well, he knew he probably be, since more figure skaters are young and new like Yuri.

 

Hearing his name called, Yuuri went up digging through the bag and pulling out a number his eyes closed, “ _ Anything but the first spot. Anything but the first spot. _ ” He thought before opening his eyes and deflating, of course Murphy’s law proves him once again. He went back to his seat trying not to let the dread of last years failure seep in, after all he was first last year too. Hearing an odd sound he looked over seeing one of the young competitors hiding his face before looking up at Yuuri.

 

“I got to see you draw the first spot in person again, Yuuri!” He grinned, Yuuri wasn’t able to react, he knew the young man from somewhere before but couldn’t place his name. Next up was something he dreaded each year. The interviews. Though talking about ice skating never really bothered Yuuri it was just the fear that one day they’d ask about the Yakuza and he wouldn’t know how to respond. He stood next to Victor as he led through the interview like a professional.

 

“We’ve timed him to peak at the Grand Prix Final..” Victor’s voice trailed off as Yuuri zoned out, he didn’t want to hear it, the remarks of Victor being his coach, of him stealing Victor from the field, it was too early for him to worry about that, but he knew it would happen. It always did, they always knew what was on your mind and asking just the right questions to dig it out of you. He still remembered the interview before the banquet last year at the Grand Prix Final about how he placed so far below Victor and how he felt about that after spending years of training at college to get there. Reporters were sometimes worse than serial killers, for Yuuri knew some serial killers were at least sparing. 

 

“He can take it easy and earn a personal best score today!” Victor mused smiling warmly. Yuuri turned to him quickly, tempted to hit him for his forgetfulness. 

 

“I think I’ve told you this many times, but in last year’s Nationals, I bombed everything. They wondered if I was injured, but embarrassingly, nothing was physically wrong with me. I lost, despite being being a top contender because I was mentally weak.” Victor’s response didn’t help with a simple hand raising up to cover his amused smile and exclaim,

 

“Wow.” In a surprised tone. 

 

Yuuri bit his lip, not liking that even though Victor believed in him, he knew that he probably wouldn’t do that great. He knew the moves, he knew the timing, everything was perfect, it’s just whenever he was in front of an audience or judges his thoughts overruled everything. If only he could imagine he was back at Hasetsu confronting someone who threatened his family. After the interviews they went out to eat and back to the hotel, Victor claiming Yuuri needed his rest for the next day. 

 

As he was tying his skates up in the morning he could only think about how in the past year he hadn’t competed at all. And that even though he had practiced with Victor the whole time it wasn’t enough. How he wasn’t so sure of himself. He wanted to be in good enough shape for the Grand Prix Final. To not only show himself but the world what he could do. 

 

“ _ Focus, focus. _ ” He thought running through the practice skate. 

 

That night was the competition, it was unusually crowded more so than it was was in the morning and it was fairly full earlier. Yuuri had a feeling it was because of his coach. He was looking around the crowd until he spotted two blurry but familiar faces. Going up to Minako and Nishigori he asked if they had seen Victor, 

 

“The competition’s about to start.” As if on cue, Victor found him.

 

“Sorry to keep you waiting.” He spoke smoothly, only looking at Yuuri as if the adoring women and men behind him didn’t exist. Yuuri was panicking about the crowd too much to think of that.

 

“Why did you change clothes?!”

 

“Today is my glorious debut as a coach, so I should be in formal dress.” He explained messing with his left sleeve, Yuuri looked at it seeing the Victor’s favorite blade hidden. At least he wasn’t taking it too easily. If this was anything different, Yuuri knew he would be teased by the triplets about Victor being his bodyguard.

 

“You’re exactly right.” Yuuri groaned into his hands the pressure of the crowd increasing on him already. A tone of an intercom coming on alerted the skaters and audience in different languages that the competition would start soon. Yuuri followed Victor to the rink, he was the first performance.

 

“As your coach, what should I say before sending you off to the program? What I’m thinking right now is..” Yuuri was listening but he had to warm up trying to focus as much as he could.

 

“ _ My goal is to reach the Grand Prix Final. I can’t get nervous already at this stage. _ ” He thinks needing to get some of his nervous energy out by skating. After the time ran up for the skaters to leave, Yuuri stayed going to where Victor was to get a drink of water. Looking up to Victor he was startled by a disgruntled look, he was a bit nervous having only seen that look when a man they were questioning refused to give answers, so then Victor nearly killed him with his bare hands. 

 

“Yuuri, turn around.” Yuuri didn’t think he heard him correctly. “Turn around, okay?”

 

“Um, like this?” He asks turning to face to opposite side of rink, what was Victor thinking? Was this a new time of pep talk? He suddenly felt arms around him, he was about to defend himself until he realized he was being hugged by Victor. He distantly saw flashing of cameras across the rink. He swore he turn piano chords once again. He should probably check to see if he has a hearing problem.

 

“Seduce me with all you have. If your performance can charm me, you can enthrall the entire audience. That’s what I always say in practice, right?” Victor whispered into his ear, his breath cascading down the back of his neck, a contrast to the cold air of the rink.

 

“Right.” He shuddered letting that sink in. Soon the tone rang letting him know he had a minute to get into position. He skated one circle around the rink before stopping in the middle.

 

_ “Remember. Just skate like you do in practice.” _ He took a deep breath started the opening sequence. “ _ I’m going to become a beautiful pork cutlet bowl. _ ” Giving Victor his best smirk, he couldn’t see his response but he swiftly moved into the performance. He felt a spike of adrenaline, a spike that he could only explain as a need to win. As he thought of how lukewarm the audience was and how back at the Hasetsu it was much more enthusiastic a thought came to him.

 

_ “I bet Victor would like this step sequence. _ ” The thoughts of practice of Victor telling him to try and seduce him with his skating. It didn’t help that he was developing more feelings than just Coach and Student with him. After Victor had pinned Yuri down threatening him in Russian, Yuuri had a inkling that he was beginning to have fallen for the man. He always view him as his idol but this was deeper and not just about Victor’s ice skating. 

 

Hearing the impressed sounds after his spread eagle and triple axel, he geared up his momentum into the quadruple Salchow. Feeling the over rotation he quickly placed a hand on the ice to keep himself from falling completely. He knew that would dock points but he needed to keep going. Only the sound of Victor’s voice, telling him of how his body made music echoed in his ears. He wasn’t even sure if the music was still going, but he didn’t care knowing logically it would be fine.Going through each move he finally got to the conclusion.

 

“ _ The conclusion for the love-crazed couple, the woman casts aside the man she seduced and leaves for the next man. _ ” Finishing in his last pose he began to breathe heavily his ears ringing with his heartbeat, the applause and Victor’s voice from the past whispering of seducing him.

 

“ _ I managed to get through it. What does Victor think? _ ” He thought going to the side where Victor was. Seeing his face and the pitiful clap he knew he was going to get scolded.

 

“The first half was great. But you were too focused on jumps in the second, so your performance got sloppy. “

 

“Right.”

 

“I don’t really like that kind of thing.” Victor points out.

 

“Right.”

 

When the score was announced that he got one of the top ten in the world, Yuuri smiled knowing it was good but he’d made it perfect for Victor.

 

“Since you weren’t under pressure, I thought you’d score in the hundreds.” Victor says playfully, though it was a blow to Yuuri.

 

“Right, you’ve scored above a hundred points to break the record multiple times.” Yuuri says a bit of irritation slipping into his voice.

 

“About tomorrow’s free skate. Lower the difficulty of the jumps and focus on the performance. You’ve never nailed them during practice, have you?”

 

“But-” Yuuri began to protest as Victor advanced on him slowly making him lean back on the railing to get away.

 

“It’s not a bad idea to lower the difficulty early in the season, is it? You should prioritize adjusting your programs to help reach your peak for the Grand Prix Final. Are you saying you can’t listen to your coach?” Begrudgingly Yuuri quieted his arguments and followed Victor out to the interviews, not paying attention to the question, for he didn’t really care. Did Victor think he was weak now? Did he assume Yuuri wouldn’t be able to do the original plan? Maybe he could sneak a few more quads in there hoping Victor wouldn’t read his mind about it until he was on the ice.

 

“How do you feel looking forward to the free skate?”

 

Yuuri found a little bit of pride as Victor tensed up knowing that Yuuri was a bit miffed about the decision still. He tried to act innocent to let Victor step in, before he’d stick his foot in his mouth with the temper he got from his father. Victor did slip in charming the interviewer like always giving Yuuri the space he needed to breathe and calm down. As he did so he noticed one of the competitors enter the lobby talking with his coach. Once spotting Yuuri he seemed depressed at the location they were in, asking if Yuuri saw the performance. 

 

“I was being interviewed, so I didn’t. Sorry.” Yuuri was confused on to why the kid was so crestfallen about this, seeing that Yuuri couldn’t really remember who he was. Seeing the tears made Yuuri anxious, startling him to see the costume modified to look like an old one he used all those years ago.

 

“That’s a costume from my dark past.” He didn’t mean it to slip out but it did.

 

“You don’t have a dark past!” If only the kid knew. He wouldn’t be saying that if he knew that Yuuri had trouble washing his hands sometimes when the soap had a warm color, looking too close to blood. If only the kid knew that when the wind whistled through the old house he would curl up thinking it was screams from below. If only the kid knew his hands would clench up when he was upset, trying to hold back from snapping someone’s neck. He bit his lip to keep this all in, there were cameras anyways. He came back to the end of the kid’s speech. Why did he think he was making fun of him? He just knew no one should praise him like Minami does so much. At the challenge he was startled, no wonder he won the competition last year, his confidence was something Yuuri couldn’t have without help. 

 

Yuuri brushed it out of his mind enough for them to leave, avoiding questions and mics with skills that only those who have had to deal with press before have gained. Getting in a cold bed helped Yuuri’s mind ease a bit, but it did nothing for the challenge, for the words to quiet down. He sighed falling asleep as soon as he could nervous for the Free Skate.

 

The next day as Yuuri was tying his skates he saw out of the corner of his eye Victor wave to the cameras. That’s when he made up his mind, he’d focus on the Free Skate like Victor wanted nothing showy, and not the original plan. He would let Minami win the little challenge but he would move on to Russia. He could overhear the excited chatter from the other boys competing with Minami, Yuuri sighed to himself as he stood to go the rink, feeling Victor’s eyes on him the entire way, why was he so tense right now? Was it because he asked Yuuri to lower the difficulty?

 

Handing his water bottle off he glanced over to Minami who shot him an excited and determined look. Yuuri decided to brush it off needing to focus, he didn’t want to fail by trying to out do Minami and discourage both Victor and his fan. The announcer claimed they had six minutes on the ice, he went onto the cold surface without a thought. He needed to warm up as much as he could for this is the first time his Free Skate would be shown to any eyes besides Victor’s. After the few laps on the ice, he headed back to the exit, surprised to hear Victor say his name.

 

“Yuuri. How can someone who can’t motivate others, motivate himself?” Victor practically slammed Yuuri’s guards onto the barrier’s surface, if he hadn’t been careful he could had cracked them with the force, “I’m disappointed in you.” He walked off not turning back at all to look at Yuuri. 

 

Stunned Yuuri stood there for a bit processing what happened, and how Victor just destroyed his own motivation in his cryptic words. Since Yuuri got first in the Short Program, he would skate last in the Free Skate, meaning Minami was to go first. Behind the crowd that began to collect around the barrier, Yuuri watched Minami act nervous with his coach. It brought back memories of how he was in the beginning of his own career in skating. He was about to turn and leave to stretch more, when he stopped. He took a deep breath and quickly turned around to yell out at the ice, when it was nearly dead silent in the rink. 

 

“Good Luck, Minami!” Seeing the happy tears form in Minami’s eyes were enough to show that Yuuri did the right thing. His soul felt a bit lighter after the well wishing.

 

The jazzy intro to the song immediately got the audience to clap along with the beat, Minami working the crowd like he was born to do it. Yuuri was impressed not just by how fast he won the crowd over but how talented the kid was. He watched as Minami fell in one of his quads but easily lifted himself back up to continue, Yuuri smiled knowing the kid had enough spunk to not let it get to him. He was inconsistent, but Yuuri knew that wasn’t bad seeing that he was the same in his younger days, of how he use to skate with a grin and no real pressure from the competition on his shoulders. 

 

Thinking it through, Yuuri turn and left the rink pushing his headphones into his ears to block out the noise as he went outside to stretch. It was like a routine to him, with most athletes to have superstitions before the game or performance. Before skating if he could, he would stretch outside a bit, no matter where he was. He knew enough martial arts and always had a weapon concealed in his costume to be safe, not needing to worry about others trying to hurt him since he was outside of Hasetsu. But he always carried just in case, never a firearm in case it would go off in the performance if he didn’t have time to take it off him, but a few blades here and there placed against his skin and costume sheathed and hidden away from eyes of the audience and judges. Sometimes it went with the costume as a prop and as long as he marked it they allowed him to wear it, but mostly they never knew it was there. Setting an alarm on his phone he began to blast his music losing himself to the routine of stretches to calm down and breathe. 

 

Once his alarm went off he took one more deep breath and headed in carrying the mat he was stretching on to the dressing room and to pull his skates back on before going to the rink. He still had his headphones in listening to the muffled crowd with the music turned off. Catching Minami’s gaze as he walked to the entrance he would go on the ice from, a thought hit him. 

 

“ _ I wonder what Minami’s reaction would be if I… _ ” He trailed off trying not to smile at the thought, he was already in place as he turned to Minami slapping him roughly on his ass, seeing his startled reaction made Yuuri muffle a laugh. The people around looked in horror as if he just killed the kid, he went up to Victor who was smirking in mirth at the sight, Yuuri schooled his own features to just be bland, no emotion. He removed his jacket revealing the colorful suit like costume Victor had picked out for him. Handing it off to Victor, with his headphones, as he commented on how nice the costume looked.

 

“You’re the most beautiful one here.” He muttered with a smile as Yuuri fidgeted with the cuffs. Victor reached out smoothing Yuuri’s fly away hairs from his face before digging in his pocket. 

 

“Your lips are chapped.” He comments applying some of the balm on his finger and rubbing the cold smooth gel across Yuuri’s lips, the finger warm compared to the cold air. Yuuri stood still his face still in a state of no emotion as he did so, even as he heard the outraged surprised shriek coming from Minami. Once Victor deemed Yuuri’s lip to be well covered he pulled Yuuri close in a hug, Yuuri slowly hugging back before he pulled away and went straight to the entrance without a glance or a word to Victor. His mind made up, he would rebel against his coach’s words. Compromises never suited him. 

 

Yuuri skated out arms open in greeting the crowd, a small smile on his lips as he did so before getting in position. Listening as the announcer gave the title of the music and the information behind it. Taking another deep breath to steady his shaking hands he closed his eyes letting the beautiful music made just for him wash over him. He went through the opening sequence his movements soft and slow unlike the Short Program where everything is pump with tension and fast. He moved around the ice preparing for the double quad. Landing it at the crescendo of the piano made him relax and go along with the movement letting it control him. He could feel Victor’s questioning gaze, knowing he was starting to read what he was going to do. 

 

Luckily Yuuri kept his face calm not to give away anything preparing for the next jump. Stepping out of the Salchow made him grit his teeth, but Yuuri continued his stubborn streak he got from his mother kicking in. As he moved into the spin combination he could still feel the ice on his finger tips mocking him for the Salchow, he knew he was tensing up but he shook it off needing to focus. Making a perfect triple loop brought him back up to terms with the music, his ear ringing along with the violin, not sure why his heart was beating harder, he wasn’t nervous. In fact he was actually enjoying himself more than he has before in a competition. Smiling he went into more jumps, landing a few but also not tripping on the ones he messed up. He was having fun and he could feel that the audience couldn’t look away. He knew he was being impatient but he had to do this, not just for Victor, but for himself. To let himself know he could land a few jumps but he didn’t need them to get a high score, no matter if that’s what Victor tells him, he needed to prove it to himself.

 

Moving into a more difficult step sequence he decided last minute to add a jump not paying attention to how close he would be to the barrier. He landed it but his skate caught on the ice making him fall and hit his face right into the barrier roughly. A loud gasp of pain and worry came from the audience, but Yuuri got up to continue, he’s been hit in the face harder than that. Moving into the last combination spin he could feel the blood in his nose try to drip out, but he didn’t care knowing it wasn’t broken, just bruised with a few busted blood cells. Finally getting into pose he reached out to Victor one hand over his heart the other trying to grasp what he could of the blurry figure in the distance with silver hair. As he stood awaiting the applause he felt the blood slip out of his nose, it hurt but it wasn’t bad. It could have been extremely worse but he couldn’t think on that now. 

 

As he waved to the audience he felt a distinct gaze on his back, slowly turning if not shyly to the side of the rink, he smiled a bit in nerves. Seeing Victor put his hand on his face, Yuuri tensed up expecting a lecture worse than the day before. Then instead of the berating or the anger he expected, it was forgiveness. Victor opened his arms wide to show he wanted Yuuri that he wanted to keep him close. Forgetting he was in front of an audience Yuuri began to tear up rushing to the side of the rink in happiness, calling out Victor’s name as he jumped to be caught in his arms. Only to meet the floor as he heard Victor move and make a comment about the nosebleed with his suit. Groaning in pain he stood up listening to the scores be announced. 

 

Hearing he won, Yuuri was in a daze as Victor held him close shaking him a bit complimenting him on proving him wrong and how he needed to be careful. Yuuri only got a break when Victor turned to look at something, Yuuri did too confused, seeing Minami call for him. Victor let go as Minami continued.

 

“I totally lost to you. I want to face you in the Grand Prix Series someday! Until then, please don’t quit.” Minami asked, not knowing how much those words reminded Yuuri of how he wanted to do the same with Victor. He could feel himself tear up a bit, but if anyone noticed he would brush it off to the pain of his nose. “And another thing!” Minami exclaimed holding up a pen and paper. “Please give me your autograph!” Then the other competitors and people came up asking for autographs and pictures from him as well. Smiling and nodding, he did as asked before moving with Victor to the Lobby where Minako was waiting for him.

 

“Yuuri! I was so impressed!” She was crying opening, Yuuri suspected she must of had a few drinks to be this open in public. “It was so obvious you took the younger skaters seriously as rivals.”  _ Just like when we have an unplanned guest. _ The words were unspoken but ranged between Yuuri’s ears.

 

“What if you’d gotten hurt, slamming into the wall like that at the end?” Nishigori demanded, leaving Yuuri a bit speechless before apologizing. 

 

“At first, I was just desperate, because I didn’t want to lose. But somehow, I started having a lot of  fun in the middle. I don’t remember a lot about it.” He says seeing their confused faces.

 

It was the most fun he had ever had in a competition. 

 

Moving to the press room in a formal suit, by himself, Yuuri stood in line waiting, anxious. After all, he was about to confess his feelings on live national television, and Victor was back in Hasetsu with his family. Not there to help push him on, even if he knew he was supporting him there. Once he was called up to the microphone he sighed getting his bearings. Flipping the paper around showing his theme for the year he felt a warm heat crawl across his neck and cheeks to his ears.

 

“My theme in this year’s Grand Prix Final is “love.” I’ve been helped by many people in my competitive skating career thus far, but I’ve never thought about “love” until now. Though I was blessed with support,” Yuuri couldn’t help but think of how they supported him before Mari agreed to take over as Head if he refused, “ I couldn’t take full advantage of it. I always felt like I was fighting alone.” He began to feel braver as his thoughts turned to Victor. “

 

But since Victor showed up to be my coach, I’ve seen something totally different. My “love” is not something clear cut like romantic love, but the more abstract feeling of my relationships with Victor, family, and hometown.”  _ The Yakuza _

 

“I was finally able to realize that something like love exists all around me.” He had to pause to catch his breath to look up at the too bright lights of cameras and television crews. He could feel the interviewer beside him in a shocked awe as he confessed.“Victor is the first person I’ve ever wanted to hold on to. I don’t really have name for that emotion but I’ve decided to call it “love.” Now that I know what love is and am stronger for it.” 

 

The side with the most passion and fury broke out as he gripped the microphone tighter, “I’ll prove it to myself with a Grand Prix Final gold medal!” Yuuri yelled into the microphone, not needing one for that announcement, but his emotions were driving the car and the brakes weren’t working so Yuuri was just going with it, feeling the heat of the lights on him more. Being removed from the stage so the next person in line could announce their own theme. 

 

For now though, he was going back home to Hasetsu to pack and head to China.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So who has filler chapters more? The readers or the writers? Both equally I'd think. I apologize for the long wait, for even my beta was experiencing procrastination with this chapter. 
> 
> But don't worry next chapter, we will get a bit deeper into the Yakuza. Also I will post trigger warnings in the beginning of the chapter just in case. If you ever need one please comment and let me know!


	6. Tu sais dans la vie y a ni méchant ni gentil

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Kill

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a warning to those who may be sensitive to certain context:
> 
> This chapter does include a vivid panic attack, I used my own experience with them, therefore please be careful reading the end of this if it could trigger you.

 

It was a quick visit to Hasetsu, to soak in the hot spring, grab fresh clothes, and eat a good meal for once, then back to the airport. Makkachin greeted them with kisses before Victor got on his knees talking to the beast lovingly. It still was hard in Yuuri’s eyes, to see that this man could kill anyone without a care. With a sigh he went to bed after dinner needing enough rest before they were back on a plane towards China. It wouldn’t be as long but it was still draining. 

 

Yuuri should had known there would be this many reporters after his declaration of love. But he didn’t expect them to go straight to the point, normally they would beat around the bush a few times then, one would break the ice. 

 

“Huh? How much power of love do I have?” That was a tough one, even though he did admire Victor and knew he was falling into his heart, he still wasn’t comfortable with calling that love yet. Luckily Victor always knew how to distract the reporters, and Yuuri.

 

“Yuuri, Let’s go get hotpot already.” Yuuri faked trying to put up a fight against him with the claim that he still had a few questions, when an older gentleman with a young man passed behind them. Yuuri felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. He barely heard the interviewers or Victor. Catching the half end of the statement. 

 

“-akov!” Yuuri froze looking over his shoulder meeting a dark gaze from the elder of the two russians. He knew that this man was dangerous. 

 

He didn’t hear anything but static in his head before it stopped and his hearing was gone, just silence as he slipped his right hand under his jacket to pull out a knife from his costume. This man was who taught Victor how to kill, and from the glare he was getting, he was his next victim. He moved closer to Victor ready to push him out of the way and attack. 

 

Yuuri stopped at a hard grip on his elbow, to the point it could bruise under his jacket. He met Victor’s eyes looking at him slyly, a warning. He put the blade back in place slowly not to draw any eyes to his movements. Victor slung his arm around Yuuri’s shoulders turning him and declaring that Yakov didn’t want hot pot, effectively dragging Yuuri away from the other russians.

 

_ Yakov, that name was well known in the gang circles. The Russian trainor who would raise killing monsters for the Bratva. _

 

Even though they walked away from them, Yuuri felt a cold chill run up his spine from the gaze, knowing the older man was boring his eyes into the back of his head as if planning where bullet holes should go. 

 

Once outside, Victor whispered in his ear stories of his past. Of the training Yakov would put them up to, in skating and fighting. A quiet breathy promise echoed in Yuuri’s being. “I will never let him touch you till the day I die. He would be merciless. He has spared others, but he would never spare the one who took me from the ice, and the Brotherhood.” Yuuri had to hide a cough to rid himself of his shaking hands. He could feel how honest Victor was of that promise, and of how serious Yakov was in getting rid of the enemy. 

 

They finally got to the restaurant Victor had been wanting to go to all day, constantly whining of wishing to go when Yuuri took breaks from the ice. Sitting down in a somewhat private booth Yuuri looked over the menu trying to calm his nerves for the next day. 

 

“Look Yuuri! Shanghai Crab! Drunken Shrimp! Duck Blood!” Luckily Victor was always a great distraction for him, Victor ate a piece of shrimp grinning before exclaiming his pleasure of the meal in Russian. “Huh? You’re not eating the shrimp?”

 

“It’s right before the competition, so I want to avoid raw food.” Yuuri explains smiling softly as he watched Victor enjoy the feast they had. Yuuri could only think of how smitten he was for the man. 

 

“It’s really good.” Victor claims as he pours himself another glass of wine, Yuuri had refused knowing alcohol would loosen him up more than any pill or drug, and wished to avoid that before competitions too. Yuuri was jolted out of his thoughts about the interview at the voice of an old friend. 

 

“Phichit!” 

 

“So this is where you have been eating.” He smiled in greeting to Victor, who had greeted him but Yuuri could read the caution in his eyes. Yuuri got up quickly moving to Victor’s side so that Phichit could sit on the other side of the booth. He never did tell Phichit about the meaning behind the tattoo, he had told him he had experienced some bad stuff in Japan. To which the young male shrugged and said there were probably worse in Thailand. Yuuri didn’t agree or disagree at the time. 

 

“Could I invite Ciao-Ciao? You want to see him don’t you?” Ignoring Yuuri’s uncomfortable body language, Yuuri knew Phichit would do it no matter what he said anyways. 

 

When the other Coach arrived, Victor was back to feasting offering him some shrimp to which Celestino refused. But he did take a few glasses of wine. Yuuri was glad he got to talk with his old coach a bit before the two coaches started to out drink each other silently, it was an unspoken challenge after Victor poured a bit less into Celestino’s glass after the first bottle was emptied. Yuuri had a feeling it was a test for Victor to see if Celestino had been worth, being Yuuri’s coach by the way Victor kept looking at him after watching Celestino drink his glass.

 

Ignoring the two, Yuuri talked with Phichit, about his programs, his classes, anything to catch up on with his best friend. The nice conversation had to stop when Victor started to strip, causing Yuuri to panic knowing no one knew of his tattoos and shouldn’t unless they wanted to get killed. He tried in vain to hold onto the hem of Victor’s shirt but that didn’t work, so instead he draped his jacket over him covering most of the tattoos now that Victor was cuddling into Yuuri in pleasure that he was wearing Yuuri’s clothes. How was this man a feared hitman?

 

Two younger skaters had shown up from Phichit earlier telling Yuuri they had asked to join them. Yuuri had agreed before the two coaches got drunk. He apologized to them as they looked in a slight bit of horror, mumbling something about age and illegal. 

 

With the help of Phichit, Yuuri got Victor out of the restaurant enough that he could walk out leaning on Yuuri for support to the hotel. Finally getting to their room, Yuuri strong held the man into bed. Knowing his clothes would come off eventually throughout the night. 

 

If Yuuri thought waking up to Victor slamming open his door was rough, he wished he never brought the man to their room last night. Waking up to a complaining Victor was almost as bad as torture. He helped the man get a shower, some food, pills and water before it finally stopped his tantrum. With a sigh of relief Yuuri got ready for the competition, leaving once Victor deemed himself perfect for the audience, even if he wasn’t performing.

 

Walking into the area for the skaters to lounge and stretch in, Yuuri felt his phone vibrate in the pocket of his jacket, pulling it out, he realized it was for Instagram, he was tagged in something. Seeing the photo made Yuuri shut down, not hearing Phichit’s apologies or the busy bodies around them. 

 

_ Now they’ll think I was fooling around before the competition. If I mess up now… _

 

He couldn’t keep his train of thought straight when someone randomly came up touching his ass. Making him freak and immediately pin the intruder to the wall the offending hand bent back against their spine painfully. The other skaters watched in amazement. Yuuri was about to yell at the person when he realized who it was, “Chris.” He sighed letting the man go, he was practically purring at Yuuri in excitement, no one having seen the skater act out in defense before. 

 

“Yuuri, I didn’t know you could pin someone up against the wall so roughly before.” He smirked. “Looks like you got in shape. Guess your master’s giving you very thorough training.” Yuuri felt that line coming a mile away but couldn’t help but laugh at it. Victor showed up after giving some words to the reporters outside the skater’s lounge.

 

“How’s it going?” He asks, Yuuri tried to hold back his laughter seeing the way Victor’s eyes flicked dangerously to Chris, showing his more possessive side.

 

“I’m not motivated without you.” Chris whined, as Yuuri looked over seeing Phichit start snapping photos, guessing one of the hashtags would be “possessive boyfriend” knowing him. 

 

Victor replied smoothly, “You’re always like that at the start of a season.” It was teasing but also poisonous.

 

“Victor!” Chris pouted as his own coach came up begging for Victor to return, as well as two female skaters who beckoned him over talking of how they missed him. Chris turned to Yuuri whispering to him. 

 

“The sin of keeping Victor to yourself is grave. The whole world is hoping for his return.” He pat his shoulder with a nod leaving Yuuri in his thoughts. Internally he was fuming, he needed to get his mind off of this before the competition, seeing those girls still with Victor made it worst. Turning he left to follow Phichit to the open skate not wanting to snap. Afterwards Phichit stayed on the ice as everyone left. Yuuri wanted to see his best friend skate, but he also wanted to go outside and stretch. So he decided to stretch inside until Phichit finished up. 

 

“ _ He’s said he wanted to skate to this music for a long time.” _ Yuuri thought bringing a smile to his face as he crossed one arm over his chest and held it there for a bit. He had to stop eventually for he couldn’t take his eyes off of Phichit. “ _ He’s made the music his own..” _ Seeing the improvement from when they were roommates in Detroit made Yuuri swell up in pride. He couldn’t wait to show Phichit his own performance. Once his performance was done, Yuuri decided it was time he should go and stretch outside, he wanted to watch Guang-Hong Ji to support him, but he didn’t want to be unprepared for his own skating. Going up to Victor, where he was talking with Chris, he just made a simple motion before getting a nod in return allowing him to go outside and stretch. 

 

Starting a pacing jog in a small alley way Yuuri listened to his music thinking, “ _ After seeing Phichit’s performance I am no longer unsure. People who want to see Victor skate will never be satisfied with my skating.” _ He moved into stretching with his yoga mat doing breathing exercises with them to calm down his nerves. _ “The people who’re cheering for me wouldn’t be satisfied with the old me, either.”  _ Stretching his arms he hummed in thought,

 

“ _ If that’s the case, I want to be hated as the man who took Victor from the whole world. _ ” He was in the midst of his mind when his alarm on his phone went off, warning him to get to the rink for his turn on the ice. He unzipped his jacket his Eros costume to be seen as he cooled off, not wanting to look too much like a mess when getting on the ice. Getting up he removed his headphones the remnants of  _ Stammi Vicino _ , the beloved music that Victor skated his free program to, and that Yuuri had copied beautifully, echoed in his ears. It was one of his favorite songs to warm up to, reminding him of the hard work he had put into skating to get where he was, with Victor. Finishing packing up he heard something odd, it sounded like a muffled scream. 

 

His heart rate picked up unsure what to find, he stayed quiet turning a corner to see a man whispering into a woman’s ear branding a knife as he cut into her clothes. Quickly Yuuri stepped in, not speaking a word as he pulled the man away from her. Realizing she was freed, she ran off quickly. Yuuri dropped his duffel bag to the side, hoping this wouldn’t take long. All he would do was knock him out and alert security. 

 

The man had other ideas for whoever interrupted his fun. His eyes focused on Yuuri’s costume, saying something, but it fell on deaf ears as Yuuri was surprised. Whenever he was about to attack or focus on an opponent, he could hear only his heart rate or static. This time the soft beginning cords of  _ Stammi Vicino _ filled his mind, moving quickly to the side as the man rushed to him trying to catch him with the knife, instead he caught his jacket. Yuuri was a bit miffed at the tear in his favorite jacket but knew he could fix it, as the swelling vocals of the music pushed him forward to the man, disarming him smoothly. Now that the knife was in his position Yuuri did more close range attacks with his hands rather than stabbing him. The music was coming up on the final climax and forte of the vocals, as something in his brain flipped and he plunged the knife into the man’s chest snapping his neck with the conclusion of the song. 

 

Yuuri stopped suddenly letting go of the dead man’s body. His hands shaking as he stepped back into the wall behind him. Slowly sliding down just like the body laying on the floor in front of him. He was shaking, more than just his hands as his mind finally calmed with no sound. No songs, no thoughts just emptiness. He could only stare at the open dead eyes where the pupils had disappeared to the top of his skull. The blood creating a deep red pool on the concrete. Then like a gunshot the thoughts came in flooding him.

 

“ _ I just killed someone, a stranger. I only maim, I never kill, I never get this far. Oh god, oh god, oh god, I just… no I..I couldn’t have done this. Oh god. I killed someone but I wasn’t suppose to. What is my family going to say? What about Victor? Victor. The Short Program! I’m going to be late, I’m going to be disqualified! Disqualified….oh god, Victor won’t love me after this. He’ll be ashamed, he’ll go back to Russia. He’ll leave me. He’ll forget about me. He’ll tell them about everything I won’t live past New Years. All because I killed someone! I can’t believe I did this. I’m a failure, I can’t do anything right, not even when I focus. I fucked up my plan on just knocking him out and killed him. I killed him...I killed him. Oh god.”  _ It kept going and going in his mind, non stop as he shook tears spilling over his face as he could longer feel his toes or fingers with how dull they were how the static crawled up his hands and legs, making his shaking worst. 

 

Then it snapped out at the feeling of hands on him. Looking up afraid the gentle hands lifted him up on his feet. His ears popped like the air pressure changed and he could hear a man’s voice. He was from the gang, he knew that his mother sent some members to his competitions but he didn’t expect to see them. The man calmed him down quickly, sobering him with a single phrase. 

 

“You need to go on the ice, now. Katsuki, Run.” It broke through his shock, he left his bag and mat, not caring, he didn’t even notice Mianko as he began running to the dressing room to get his skates throwing them on quickly, he had two minutes to get on the ice. He practically threw his guards and jacket at Victor not remembering his face in that moment. They announced his name and he skated onto his mark, hearing his heartbeat and not realising the stadium was dead quiet. He wiped his eyes just in case there were any remainder tears. Looking up at the judges he noticed their shocked expressions, until he realized what was wrong. 

 

His costume was splattered with blood, it wasn’t soaked just splattered as if an artist took a paint brush and flicked it over the black fabric and gemstones. He ignored it deciding that now he was going to change the mood of his short program. His love was not something to tease and play with. This love was something deadly and passionate. The moment before the music started he looked in the position where Victor was standing knowing that streak of silver anywhere, his eyes challenging speaking to him. “ _ Don’t ever take your eyes off of me.” _ Then his music started.

 

Right off the bat before moving his arms he licked his lips, tasting blood on them. He didn’t know that in doing so that the blood that had fell on his face now became apart of his makeup, looking like he just smeared a deep red lipstick mainly on his bottom lip with just a hint on the top. The blood on the gemstones on his shoulder and hip, had a red hue now making them fit the more sensual side of the music. Getting through the guitar chords to where he smirked at Victor the audience could tell this was a once in a lifetime performance. 

 

Gliding into the step sequences was easy for him letting his body just move with the music. He even closed his eyes a few times enjoying the feel of this new power within him. “ _ They can laugh at me all they want. They can think it’s not like me. But everyone really wants to know the new me, don’t they? Well there’s only one man who is allowed.” _ Yuuri finished his entire step sequence smiling, now for the jumps. It would be tough now that all his jumps were in the second half, but he knew if he kept calm he would be fine.Landing a perfect Triple axel, he moved on to the quad Salchow. Landing it beautifully, as he wore his love on his sleeve, and down the front of his costume. “ _ I’m the only one who can satisfy Victor. I’m the only one in the whole world who knows Victor’s love. Not the Bratva, not any fans or skaters. And I’ll prove that now.” _ Landing the last of his jumps he held his pose in the end shaking a bit from the exhaustion but also from the shock from earlier. Breathing he could think of one thing he needed Victor, to tell him what happened, and to make sure he wasn’t being played with. Moving out of the pose he bowed in thanks to the judges and audience. 

 

Moving to the kiss and cry, he holding a few stuffed toys that were thrown on the ice for him, including his water bottle to hide the blood, so that the viewers thought it was more of an artistic choice rather than an accidental murder. 

 

“Yuuri, did it feel that great?” Victor asks smiling. 

 

Yuuri stayed looking forward, “Well, I was hoping everyone else felt great watching me.” He was trying to subtly convey his feelings to Victor hoping he understood that he was definitely in love with him, and so was Victor. As they announced the scores, Yuuri tried to look at the board squinting in an attempt, before he was grabbed by an excited Victor.

 

“Of course, they’d feel great watching a performance like that.” Victor spoke in his ear. Causing Yuuri to look up at him glad he caught his wording. As soon as the kiss and cry was over, Victor ushered them to the dressing room to get Yuuri’s second jacket, and put it on him so that no one saw the cut or the real blood. After the interviews and a few well wishes from fans, they went back to the dressing room where Yuuri told Victor what happened. Afterwards Victor held onto him whispering in his ear how everything was okay now, how his family would be fine with it, with him. Yuuri nodded finally calming down, before Victor sent him to go watch the performances with his friends, while Victor checked up with the Yakuza that had cleaned up Yuuri’s mess, he even got Yuuri’s bag back.

 

Watching it with Phichit and Guang-Hong Ji, he started to feel a bit more normal. Victor soon joined them to watch Chris’s performance, holding onto Yuuri just to comfort him more.

 

“He said he wasn’t finding motivation, but Chris never goes into a major slump.” Victor says almost fondly as they watched. “He’s a slow starter, so he doesn’t try to peak in the first event. But today he’s going all out on sex appeal.” To which he whispered more in Yuuri’s ear, “Was probably because of your threatening performance.” 

 

“I guess today’s sex appeal award goes to Chris.” Yuuri says a bit startled.

 

“The ice looks soaking wet.” Phichit points out causing Victor snort behind his hand in a laugh. Once the scores were released, Yuuri was surprised that he was still in first. As others wished him well while challenging him for the next day, Yuuri just stood there not understanding how he was still in first. In an interview Yuuri didn’t remember what he said but he tried to put on a brave face,

  
“With my coach, Victor, I’ll win with the power of love!” He wasn’t use to being at the top, this was going to be different. Though through his brave words his hands shook as if they could still feel the man’s bones snap between the muscles.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize once again for the delay, and for the filler but hey, now things are catching. 
> 
> Whose excited for the next chapter, that references episode 7? I am. And for a bit more. ;) 
> 
> Have a lovely day/night, and till we meet again hopefully sooner than later.

**Author's Note:**

> I asked the creator of the beautiful short comic of a Hitman Au for Yuri on Ice if I could use it to create an idea I had. Therefore this is where this came to be. Genicecream's comic will be way better than this half baked thought. But if you enjoyed it, then thank you. If you have any ideas or thoughts on to make it better, I am open to listening. Have a wonderful day.
> 
> Genicecream's comic: http://genicecream.tumblr.com/post/154675412504


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